Mississippi Mayor Allegedly Tells Resident To “Consider Selling” Home Amid Noise Complaints About Plant Powering Nearby Data Centers
Residents of a Mississippi town are voicing fierce opposition to a plant that powers data centers operated by Elon Musk’s xAI, alleging that “near-constant” noise is causing harmful physical and psychological health effects.
One Southaven resident said the plant is so loud that it keeps her and her family awake at night.
She said a full night’s sleep is rare.
Multiple residents who live near the plant have filed a lawsuit against xAI.
A separate lawsuit filed by the NAACP and others alleges the Southaven plant emits “significant amounts of harmful pollutants from its gas turbines.”
Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite has defended the plant despite the pushback.
The noise from a plant powering Elon Musk's xAI data centers in Mississippi is keeping residents awake and destroying their quality of life.
Residents of Southaven, MS, have organized, gone to hearings, and talked to media.
But so far the mayor's advice is: "Consider selling." pic.twitter.com/vXnTUXm17N
— More Perfect Union (@MorePerfectUS) July 17, 2026
One resident, Jason Haley, made noise complaints about the plant to Musselwhite and shared the email exchange with CBS News.
Haley said he reached out to Musselwhite and urged him to drive through the neighborhood “and take a listen to the constant high pitch noises.”
“I am aware of the noise and working on a solution with xAI officials,” Musselwhite responded, according to CBS News.
“It is a problem,” he said in another email.
However, Haley reached back out to Musselwhite.
“Anyone else I can reach out to?” Haley asked Musselwhite.
“It’s almost 4 am and I can hear it from my bed. The high pitch and roaring combined is full force at this time. My ears are ringing. I can’t live in this. How was this ever approved?” Haley wrote, according to the outlet.