The new xAi plant in Southaven, Miss.
Hundreds gathered at a public hearing in Southaven, Miss., to express concerns about air and noise pollution coming from xAI’s turbines. None in the audience spoke in favor of granting xAI a permit for permanent turbines.
The new xAi plant in Southaven, Miss.
Nathan Reed said he’s not opposed to growth in Southaven, but he questioned the pace and intensity of xAI’s expansion
Attendees, some wearing “Not all money is good money” shirts, told state regulators that xAI’s plans and current operations would increase pollution in a county already struggling with air quality.
“The scale, the speed, the intensity of this expansion are unlike anything this area has absorbed,” said Southaven native Nathan Reed. “This was not a thoughtful, phased development. It was an industrial surge imposed on our residential community.”
‘Southaven is now under attack’
Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite has called the noise “a legitimate concern,” but he has also dismissed the backlash as partly politically motivated. “Southaven is now under attack by all who choose to oppose Elon Musk because of his high-profile political stances,” he posted on Facebook.
In an email to NBC News, Musselwhite, a Republican, wrote that some of those at the public hearing didn’t live in Southaven, referring to Democratic Tennessee state Rep. Justin Pearson. At the hearing, Pearson, who previously spoke out against xAI’s use of similar turbines in Memphis, Tennessee, urged Mississippi’s permit board to reject the company’s request.
Last month, xAI representatives were joined by Mississippi’s Republican governor, Tate Reeves. The company’s chief financial officer discussed the new data center, which Musk dubbed MACROHARDRR, in an unsubtle dig at competitor Microsoft.
The new xAi plant in Southaven, Miss.
Southaven’s mayor has welcomed xAI as a new corporate neighbor, saying it will bring new jobs and millions in revenue to the city.
The data center and plant are expected to bring in millions of dollars and new jobs, Musselwhite said. The city recently accepted a $1.38 million donation from xAI’s affiliated company MZX Tech for its police department. Opposing the project, he has argued, would be akin to walking away from FedEx in the 1970s. The shipping giant, headquartered nearby in Memphis, is one of the area’s largest employers.
As for the noise complaints, Musselwhite said in January that xAI is working to address those concerns and has installed a $7 million sound wall to muffle the noise.
Musselwhite said in an email that xAI is still working on the issue and considering removing some of the louder turbines. He said the permanent turbines xAI plans to install will be quieter.
Work hasn’t started on an additional embankment to reduce the noise, which Musselwhite said in January would take two months to finish. Engineers are still studying what type of sound barrier would be most effective and expect to decide within two weeks.
xAI didn’t respond to questions.
