Microsoft's 315-Acre Fairwater Data Center Faces Noise Suit Over 1,000 Nearby Homes
Updated
Updated · WKOW · Jul 4
Microsoft's 315-Acre Fairwater Data Center Faces Noise Suit Over 1,000 Nearby Homes
3 articles · Updated · WKOW · Jul 4
Summary
Three Mount Pleasant residents filed a proposed class action in federal court, alleging Microsoft's Fairwater Data Center generates round-the-clock noise that disrupts sleep, daily life and property values.
Roughly 1,000 homes within about 1.5 miles are covered by the complaint, which blames diesel generators and HVAC equipment including chillers, cooling towers, air-handling units and condenser fans.
The 315-acre campus has three buildings totaling about 1.2 million square feet and draws 337.6 megawatts as an AI supercomputing hub; Microsoft has said future demand could rise to 900 megawatts.
Microsoft said it investigated the noise source, installed mitigation measures and heard from some neighbors that the problem had been resolved.
The case adds to a string of recent lawsuits and investigations by the same law firms over alleged data-center noise, odor and water contamination in other communities.