Three residents of Mississippi have filed a class-action lawsuit in federal court in Oxford, Mississippi, on behalf of an estimated group of more than 10,000 people, targeting billionaire Elon Musk's companies xAI and SpaceX. The lawsuit, announced December 17, 2024, alleges that a gas turbine power plant in Southaven, which supplies energy to nearby data centers, generates "invasive and unavoidable" noise that severely impacts residents' health and home values.
According to the complaint, the noise from the plant operates 24 hours a day, preventing residents from finding quiet space to rest. Plaintiff attorney Robert Wiygul stated: "Our homes should be a refuge from the outside world. But when noise intrudes day and night, it robs us of the basic peace of a good and decent life."
The lawsuit accuses xAI and SpaceX of negligence, failing to control the disturbance, and creating a public nuisance through excessive and offensive noise. The plaintiffs seek damages for emotional distress, diminished property values, and other harms, as well as an unspecified share of profits. SpaceX, xAI, and xAI subsidiary MZX Tech are named in the suit, but Elon Musk is not individually named as a defendant.
It is reported that xAI has invested over $20 billion to build the power plant in Southaven, backed by Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves. The gas turbines provide power to data centers in and around the area. Previously, in April 2024, the civil rights group NAACP also sued xAI over the plant and data center, alleging violations of U.S. environmental regulations. That case is still pending.
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a court document last month expressing potential interest in intervening in the NAACP case, arguing that the dispute raises legal and policy questions about the government's role in artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure. SpaceX and xAI have not yet commented officially on the latest lawsuit.
