Memphis Light, Gas and Water CEO Doug McGowen called the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s claims that xAI is operating 35 gas turbines without permits "baseless," and said the utility has been transparent about the project. According to Action News 5, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People has asked Memphis Light, Gas and Water and the Shelby County Health Department to investigate, issue penalties if permits were violated, and order an emergency shutdown to protect the community’s health in an area with higher cancer risks.
McGowen said, "By law, we must provide utilities to customers in our service territory in a non-discriminatory manner (and we think the NAACP would not want any utility to have discretionary authority to selectively withhold utilities," as reported by Local Memphis. He noted that regulation of air quality, including approval of gas turbines, is handled by other agencies such as the Shelby County Health Department, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Memphis Light, Gas and Water has created a webpage and held several meetings each month to update the public and gather comments on the project. They are also involved in building a recycled wastewater plant for xAI to help reduce water use from the Mississippi River aquifer. The Memphis Light, Gas and Water CEO said these actions show the utility’s effort to manage resources as the population grows. City and chamber of commerce officials said that xAI is operating within permitted limits. Ted Townsend, president of the chamber, told WREG, “As of now, the company is not doing anything that is outside the parameters of what they are permitted to do.”
