Elon Musk's xAI wants to build a power plant in Mississippi. Regulators plan a key meeting on Election Day

Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company xAI is planning to build a natural gas-powered power plant in Southaven, Mississippi. The state's environmental authority has scheduled a board meeting on Election Day to decide on the necessary permits. The NAACP and other advocates have tried to get the meeting delayed, arguing it conflicts with residents' voting efforts and is located far from the proposed site. However, the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality denied the request, stating its standard practice is to hold the meeting on the second Tuesday of each month. The meeting comes as xAI has merged with SpaceX and faces community pushback over its use of "temporary" natural gas turbines, which have been linked to air pollution concerns. Residents fear the new power plant and data center will further impact their health and quality of life.