Mississippi residents sue xAI and SpaceX over Southaven turbine noise

More than 10,000 people living near a Southaven, Mississippi facility that powers xAI’s data center operations are suing xAI and SpaceX, alleging that gas-fired turbines produce round-the-clock noise that has damaged their health and property values.

The federal lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Oxford, Mississippi, names xAI, its subsidiary MZX Tech, and SpaceX as defendants. Elon Musk is not named in the case. Three residents brought the complaint on behalf of a proposed class they estimate exceeds 10,000 members.

Plaintiffs’ attorney Robert Wiygul framed the case in personal terms.

Residents say turbine noise has disrupted daily life

Those residing in the area of interest say that the turbines have significantly interfered with their daily life due to their noise and vibration, which amounts to negligence and public nuisance.

The noise and vibrations, according to Reuters citing court filings, started in or about June 2025 and have continued to this day. The plaintiffs are suing for damages for their emotional distress, the diminution of the value of their property, and the disaggregation of profits.

xAI purchased a vacant power plant in Southaven and installed natural gas turbines to supply electricity to its data center operations across the Tennessee border in Memphis. The company has since committed more than $20 billion to expand data center infrastructure in Mississippi, a project backed by Governor Tate Reeves.

The public and local media have said that xAI put up sound barrier to mitigate its effect but residents continued to complain about the noise

Legal scrutiny of xAI operations continues to grow

The class action comes after a separate April lawsuit filed by the NAACP, on behalf of the Southern Environmental Law Center, claiming that xAI is breaking federal Clean Air Act laws by operating the turbines without the proper environmental permits.

Under Mississippi regulations, temporary or portable turbines can operate for up to one year without an air permit. The NAACP and its attorneys argue that the threshold has been exceeded.

The Justice Department signaled last month that it may intervene in the environmental case, saying it raises significant legal and policy questions involving the federal government’s role in AI infrastructure development.

As Cryptopolitan earlier reported, xAI has already faced scrutiny over environmental and permitting concerns tied to its growing data center operations and power infrastructure.

The new lawsuit increases the legal pressure on xAI as it continues to invest heavily in data centers and power infrastructure across Mississippi.

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