Mayor told sleepless xAI neighbor to consider selling

A Mississippi homeowner who says a power plant tied to Elon Musk’s xAI has kept him awake at night was told by Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite that he might “consider selling” his home, according to emails shared with CBS News.

Jason Haley, 46, has lived in Southaven for about 20 years. He told CBS News the quiet around his home has been replaced in recent months by a steady whirring sound, which he compared to an aircraft lingering overhead.

Haley and two other Southaven residents sued xAI and its subsidiary, MZX Tech, in June. The lawsuit alleges that “near-constant” sound and vibration from a plant powering xAI data centers in the area have caused physical and psychological harm to people living within a mile of the site.

In emails reviewed by CBS News, Haley complained to Musselwhite in November about “constant high pitch noises” and asked the mayor to listen from the neighborhood. Musselwhite replied that he knew about the sound and was working with xAI officials on a fix, calling it “a problem” in a later email the same day.

Haley wrote again during another sleepless night, saying it was nearly 4 a.m., that he could hear the sound from bed, and that his ears were ringing. By March, Musselwhite told him the noise was among his highest priorities, according to the emails.

In that same message, CBS News reported, the mayor added that xAI wanted homes for employees and told Haley he “may want to consider selling” his house. CBS News said Musselwhite did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

xAI’s growing footprint

xAI’s Colossus data center began operating in Memphis in September 2024, and the company described it as the world’s largest AI supercomputer. In July 2025, Musk said another facility, Colossus 2, would begin operating in the area within weeks.

Days later, Musselwhite announced on Facebook that a long-dormant energy facility would be restarted to support xAI’s expanding data center operations nearby, according to CBS News.

By January, xAI was adding a third Southaven data center called MACROHARDDR. As residents objected online and at public meetings, Musselwhite wrote on Facebook that Southaven was “under attack” by people opposing Musk because of his political views and warned residents about what he called “radical politics.”

Haley told CBS News he was not motivated by politics and did not know the project was connected to Musk when he first began complaining. He has since spoken at city meetings, posted sound-meter videos on TikTok and joined a local coalition called Safe and Sound.

Residents cite health complaints

Taylor Logsdon, 31, who is also part of the lawsuit and the Safe and Sound coalition, told CBS News the noise sometimes shakes her home. She said she has experienced migraines, anxiety and ringing in her ears, and that her children, all younger than 13, also have ringing in their ears and trouble staying awake at school.

Logsdon said she would move if she could afford it. Haley told CBS News that moving is not his preference, though he is financially able to do so if he decides to leave.

Musselwhite said in a February Facebook post that xAI had spent millions trying to reduce the sound with a wall, a berm and evergreen trees. Logsdon told CBS News those measures had not helped.

Dr. Samoon Ahmad, a clinical professor of psychiatry at New York University, told CBS News that people exposed to constant humming or buzzing report headaches, stress and sleep disruption. The World Health Organization recommends less than 40 decibels of annual average nighttime noise outside bedrooms to prevent adverse health effects. Haley has recorded readings above 60 decibels in his backyard as late as 10:15 p.m., according to CBS News.

Environmental fight widens

The NAACP sued xAI in April, alleging the Southaven plant emits harmful pollution from gas turbines. A court filing reviewed by CBS News said the number of turbines had risen from 27 to 59.

The NAACP has also challenged a Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality air permit allowing the plant to operate 41 permanent methane gas turbines. An independent study cited by CBS News found the plant could worsen regional air pollution.

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves’ office has said Musk’s investment in the newest Southaven data center brings xAI’s contribution to the area to $20 billion, calling it the largest economic development project in state history. CBS News reported that MZX Tech also donated more than $1.3 million to the Southaven Police Department in February.

This story draws on original reporting from CBS News.