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MS · State profile
Mississippi Data Center Intel
Latest data center news, projects, power and policy across Mississippi — updated daily.
Recent Mississippi data center news
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Does solar really need subsidies? How successful renewable energy projects are adapting in 2026
Xendee has published survey-based research and hosted a Factor This panel/webcast summarizing how renewable microgrid projects are adapting in 2026.
- Main finding: Xendee surveyed more than 150 industry experts and identified securing funding and utility interconnection as the top challenges for microgrid developers; the article cites a Lawrence Berkeley National Lab finding that interconnection times can reach up to eight years.
- Panel insights & context: Panelists Dr. Michael Stadler (Xendee), Jon La Follett (Mayfield Renewables), and Wissam Balshe (Novitium Energy) emphasized design optimization and credible tools for project bankability; they noted solar-plus-batteries remains cost-competitive even after the ITC expiration and is a practical alternative for developers unable to procure or wait for gas turbines. Webinar is available on-demand (registration link included in document_urls).
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CBRE’s 2026 Data Center Outlook: Demand Surges as Delivery Becomes the Constraint
CBRE announced its 2026 U.S. data center outlook and confirmed the acquisition of Pearce Services (announced November 4, 2025), positioning the firm to address power and execution constraints in large-scale data center delivery.
- Main announcement: CBRE’s outlook finds the U.S. data center market constrained by power delivery rather than land, capital, or connectivity; developers and occupiers now prioritize sites capable of supporting 300-MW-plus deliveries within 36 months, with preleasing expected in the mid-70% range and construction/interconnection timelines commonly extending 24–48 months for incremental generation or transmission upgrades.
- Acquisition and execution detail: CBRE acquired Pearce Services (announced Nov 4, 2025) for approximately $1.2 billion in cash plus an earn-out up to $115 million; Pearce is forecast to generate > $660 million revenue and > $90 million EBITDA in 2026, and CBRE expects to produce > $350 million of Core EBITDA from its digital and power infrastructure services businesses in 2026; financial advisors included J.P. Morgan Securities and Wells Fargo, with legal advisers Sullivan & Cromwell (CBRE) and Ropes & Gray (Pearce/New Mountain Capital).
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Can Trump’s coal comeback last? Experts say no
The Department of Energy has issued emergency orders delaying retirements of multiple coal-fired power plants and the Trump administration has issued an April executive order promoting coal to meet rising electricity demand from AI data centers.
- DOE emergency orders: Chris Wright has issued emergency orders delaying retirement of at least five of the 11 plants slated for closure, renewing them every 90 days; under these orders, plant operators can seek FERC approval to recover costs from customers, with examples such as the J.H. Campbell plant’s expenses being spread across millions of Midwest ratepayers.
- Context & impacts: Analysts estimate keeping slated plants open through 2028 could cost ratepayers up to $6 billion, on top of a $6 billion increase in coal-fired generation costs from 2021–2024; roughly 25 gigawatts of aging coal capacity may continue operating to meet data center demand through 2030, while the EPA and Interior Department actions have eased pollution constraints and opened lands to mining.
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xAI's Colossus 2 AI Goes Gigawatt‑Scale — EPA Alarm as Power Turbines Ruled Illegal
The Environmental Protection Agency issued a final rule on 15 January 2026 requiring air permits for gas turbines, including temporary or portable use, in response to uncovered operations at xAI’s Colossus data centre.
- Main announcement/action: The EPA’s final rule (15 January 2026) clarifies that operating natural gas/methane turbines requires preconstruction and operating air permits even when used temporarily; this directly targets xAI’s Colossus site in Tennessee, which operated at least 35 turbines and faced a June 2025 lawsuit for failing to secure permits for 20 turbines. The EPA estimates net annual NOx emission reductions of up to 296 tons by 2032. Penalisation details were not specified in the ruling.
- Background and details: The Southern Environmental Law Centre (SELC) issued a notice of intent to sue citing unpermitted turbines; the NAACP criticised the company’s actions. xAI says Colossus 1 uses 150 megawatts at full capacity and claims the system was built in 122 days (later doubled to 200k GPUs). Colossus 2 (commenced March 2025) also used dozens of turbines and received temporary Mississippi approval to run turbines without permits for up to 12 months; turbines are rented from Solaris Energy Infrastructure. This note records the EPA’s new rule as a first-time final action reported in this article, not a mere reference to a prior already-finalised policy.
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EPA rules Elon Musk’s xAI Memphis data centre used illegal power
The Environmental Protection Agency has ruled that xAI operated dozens of methane gas turbines illegally at its Memphis Colossus data centre.
- Main action: The EPA declared that portable methane gas turbines are not exempt from air quality requirements, closing a local loophole and finding xAI ran up to 35 unpermitted turbines; the agency estimates enforcing the standards will cut nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 296 tons annually by 2032.
- Background and details: The decision followed a lawsuit filed by the NAACP (filed last July) and advocacy by the Southern Environmental Law Center; Colossus 1 (used to train Gro) consumes 150 megawatts, was built in 122 days in 2024, and xAI is expanding with Colossus 2 and a third supercomputer “MACROHARDRR” that may eventually need up to 2 gigawatts. xAI has obtained permits for some machines, but dozens more at secondary sites reportedly remain unpermitted.
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Gas turbines need permits, according to new EPA ruling
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced in January that methane gas turbines require construction and air permits.
- Scope and local impact: The EPA ruling (see Federal Register) states methane gas turbines need construction and air permits, and the requirements apply to temporary turbines. Locally, the Shelby County Health Department permitted 15 gas-powered turbines for xAI on July 2; environmental groups allege new images show xAI using 35 methane gas turbines and are requesting an emergency stop order. The Federal Register publication date is Jan 15, 2026.
- Related local developments and timelines: The Mississippi governor announced a $20 billion xAI data center investment in DeSoto County. For the unrelated Salvation Army announcement: the organization suspended its Emergency Family Shelter due to depleted reserves, citing a $50,000 monthly deficit and stating it needs $1 million per year in donations to resume the program; families have until Feb. 8, 2026 to relocate.
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EPA updates turbine regulations. How it could impact xAI power options
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency updated turbine performance standards under the Clean Air Act.
- Main action: On Jan. 9, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin signed a notice implementing new performance standards for combustion and gas turbines; the rule was formally posted on the Federal Register on Jan. 15, 2026 and would require air and construction permits for all such turbines, including temporary units operating under a year.
- Impacts and context: The article states this decision “may impact” xAI’s power options for its Memphis and Southaven data center campuses; the regulation is tied to the Clean Air Act and specifically addresses combustion and stationary gas turbines with permitting implications rather than stated financial penalties or timelines beyond the posting date.
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xAI’s AI Factories: From Colossus to MACROHARDRR in the Gigawatt Era
Mississippi officials announced that xAI will invest more than $20 billion to build a new MACROHARDRR campus in Southaven, expected to begin operations in February 2026.
- Main announcement:xAI will invest more than $20 billion in the MACROHARDRR campus in Southaven, DeSoto County, with operations expected to begin February 2026; the deal includes sales and use tax exemptions on computing hardware and software, waivers of sales, corporate income, and franchise taxes, and reduced property taxes at city and county level.
- Background and details:Colossus (Memphis) was built inside a former Electrolux factory with the first major system completed in about 122 days and doubled in roughly 92 more days to ~200,000 GPUs; utilities approved staged power (initial 150 MW then a second 150 MW to reach 300 MW), xAI proposed a recycled wastewater plant up to 13 million gallons per day, and interim on-site natural-gas generation prompted permit contests and community opposition.
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Emerging Data Center Markets: Key Locations to Watch in 2026
Cushman & Wakefield reports that power and land constraints in major U.S. data center hubs are driving operators to consider secondary and tertiary markets.
- Main announcement: Cushman & Wakefield finds power and land constraints in primary hubs (Northern Virginia, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Atlanta, Portland/Eastern Oregon) are shifting site selection toward secondary/tertiary markets; highlights include OpenAI’s Stargate (~$100 billion) and Vantage Frontier (~$25+ billion) as large upcoming projects.
- Details/background: Regions such as Pennsylvania, the Carolinas, Central Washington, New Jersey, and Massachusetts are offering economic incentives, faster approvals, and flexible regulatory frameworks; Central Washington offers low-cost hydro power enabling 100% renewable operation but is also facing power constraints.
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Big Tech Data Centers: Meta's Massive Nuclear Power Deals, $20B by xAI in Mississippi
Meta announced agreements with TerraPower, Oklo and Vistra to provide nuclear power for its Prometheus AI data center in New Albany, Ohio.
- Main announcement:Meta signed deals with TerraPower, Oklo and Vistra to support up to 6.6 gigawatts of new and existing clean energy by 2035 for its Prometheus 1-gigawatt AI cluster (expected online in 2026). The TerraPower agreement funds development of two Natrium units (up to 690 MW deliverable as early as 2032) and rights to energy from up to six additional Natrium units (total 2.1 GW targeted by 2035); Vistra will provide more than 2.1 GW from two operating Ohio plants plus expansions and a third plant in Pennsylvania; Oklo will help develop a 1.2 GW power campus in Pike County, Ohio. Financial terms for these Meta deals were not disclosed.
- Background and related announcement:xAI announced a $20 billion investment to build the MACROHARDRR data center cluster in Southaven/DeSoto County, Mississippi; xAI says the cluster will house “the world’s largest supercomputer” with 2 gigawatts of computing power. Under 2024 incentives the state will waive sales, corporate income and franchise taxes for the project and local authorities agreed to substantially reduced property taxes; xAI is expected to begin operations next month. Environmental concerns were raised by the NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center and a petition from the Safe and Sound Coalition had 900+ signatures as of the announcement.