Tech billionaire Elon Musk has donated more than 500 generators to Tippah County in northeastern Mississippi as the area continues to grapple with widespread power outages caused by a severe winter storm. The donation comes amid mounting pressure on local authorities as thousands of residents remain without electricity days after the storm passed.
Mississippi Development Authority Executive Director Bill Cork confirmed the intervention, noting that Musk’s team has been coordinating with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency to ensure swift delivery. According to Cork, trucks loaded with generators were dispatched from Atlanta and were expected to arrive in Tippah County by midday, providing immediate relief to affected households and critical facilities.
Tippah County has been one of the hardest-hit areas, with over 8,000 power outages reported as of Monday morning. Local power officials described the damage to electrical infrastructure as catastrophic, warning residents early on that restoration efforts would take significant time due to destroyed transmission lines and icy conditions.
The storm affected at least 51 counties across Mississippi and is being described as the state’s worst winter weather event in more than three decades. State officials have confirmed 23 deaths linked to the storm, including two in Tippah County, underscoring the urgency of relief efforts such as Musk’s generator donation.
