MEMPHIS, Tenn. — For the first time since the City of Memphis announced xAI would be coming to the Bluff City, Memphis, Light, Gas and Water (MLGW) answered some of the public's long-awaited questions.
Many MGLW customers have been sitting on questions for the utility company for months now. On Saturday, Aug. 10, at a Q&A community forum in Whitehaven, some of those who attended got answers on their long awaited questions.
The two-hour meeting allowed both Memphis residents and MLGW customers to hear direct responses from MLGW President and CEO Doug McGowen.
People told ABC24 they did not get all of their questions answered because not every key stakeholder was present to face the public's difficult questions.
Kathy Niter is a Memphian who's afraid of the potential outlook on the city's fresh water supply. During Saturday's meeting she heard MLGW claim the tech company will pay for a recycling plant. Niter believes this plant should be build first before the xAI facility begins operations.
"They should not go online until they have their recycle plant function. If we are depending on somebody else to build a recycling plant to use water, then that means we are waiting on them to build it while they are using our fresh water," Niter said.
LaTricea Adams is a Whitehaven city council member and CEO of environmental advocacy group, Young, Gifted, and Green. She believes MLGW answered the community's questions to the best of their ability. However, she wanted to know the whereabouts of the Shelby County Health Department (SCHD) and other stakeholders who weren't at the meeting.
"Just to name them xAI where are you? It's like a ghost, this is your project you should be the first person that should be engaging with the community," Adams said.
McGowen says MLGW customers should not be concerned about the amount of water or reliability of electric power the xAI facility will be using. However, there is uncertainty on the span the tech company will be in Memphis.
"We hope that all companies are successful and create a lot of jobs in Memphis, but in the event that they happen to leave, there should be no harm to our electric, our gas infrastructure and water infrastructure, and we've made sure of that," McGowen said.
McGowan said he understands not everyone is welcoming of Elon Musk's company making Memphis its new home. He said its not legal to deny them from applying to utilize utilities provided by MLGW.
According to McGowen, under the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) Act, MLGW can have their contract cancelled which means TVA can stop providing the utility company with power if they engage in discriminatory practices regarding electrical services.
"It would be unreasonable for us to say no you can't use that. I was prohibited from denying that access," he said. "Now that doesn't mean people don't have concerns about that. If this is something people would like changed, it would have to be a legislative change"
Adams told ABC24 she wants to attend more community Q&A forums in the future and she hopes the TVA, SCHD, and representatives of xAI all attend next time.