We caught Elon Musk’s AI company flouting EPA rules using a thermal drone

Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, is continuing to fuel its data centers with unpermitted gas turbines, according to a Floodlight visual investigation. Thermal drone footage captured in late January 2026, shows xAI running the unpermitted turbines at its custom built powerplant in Southaven, Miss., nearly two weeks after an Environmental Protection Agency ruling reiterated that doing so requires a state permit in advance. The ad hoc gas plant’s sole task is to power the datacenter behind Grok and is part of an increasing reliance among AI companies on fossil fuels.

Read the full investigation in our original story, co-published with The Guardian:

Curious how we pulled off this project? Read our Q&A with reporter Evan Simon:

This investigation took months of reporting and specialized equipment. Want to support work like this? Make a donation to Floodlight and help us continue investigations like this one.