xAI’s gas turbines in Southaven, Mississippi, have prompted noise pollution complaints from residents.
In a YouTube reel, a resident named Jason Haley showed that the noise from the turbines caused his decibel reader to fluctuate from the 40s to the 60s when used inside. Haley went outside, to where the reader reached the 70s.
“Even when [the turbines] are not at peak loudness it’s [a] constant high-pitched noise that just doesn’t end,” Haley said.
Haley is seeking answers to whether or not this will be a temporary or long-term issue. He has been told by city officials that they agree the sound is an issue but is not confident it will be properly addressed.
“I don’t know if this noise will go on for a couple more weeks, till the end of next year or what — that’s the answer I’m looking for,” Haley said.
According to Haley, local code enforcement and police said “there’s nothing they can do” to address the problem.
The turbines in question are a part of xAI’s expansion into Southaven, months after Memphis became home to the company’s supercomputer, Colossus. The city’s former Duke Energy plant has been transformed to “meet the electricity demands of these artificial intelligence operations,” the city of Southaven said.
In an August 1 report, Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite noted concerns in both Memphis and Southaven regarding air pollution, water capacity impacts, and more. The mayor said he would “never” advocate for a project that didn’t bring economic and public development to the city.
“xAI has proven their commitment to being an outstanding corporate citizen in this regard in every possible way,” Musselwhite’s report said. “Environmental sensitivity is at the forefront of this commitment as they go above and beyond required emission control requirements.”
Despite these vetted sensitivities, citizens are still concerned about other issues the plant has posed.
Shannon Samsa said she only gained knowledge of the plant through Musselwhite’s Facebook post in August, and news coverage about a month prior. Samsa said she has been following the plant’s expansion closely ever since and that several residents not near the site are still unaware of its existence.
Samsa has provided updates for the community through her social media platform. She said the time for transparency has passed and has called for “a genuine apology for misleading the public.”
“To be clear, the only reason we know anything at all at this point is because residents like myself have done the digging,” Samsa said. “If there’s a path forward, it begins with full disclosure of all project-related documents and approvals, and a clear explanation of why the community has been left out of the conversation for so long.”
According to Southaven’s Code of Ordinances “noise sources associated with construction and normal operations” on light or heavy “industrial districts” are allowed as long as they do not exceed 70 dba “at the property boundary.”
Musselwhite released the following statement on the matter:
“Solutions to this matter are pending and have been communicated to all affected.”
xAI has not responded for comment.