Microsoft data center sued over noise as US Congress targets AI grid costs

Residents of Racine County, Wisconsin, have filed a proposed class‑action lawsuit against Microsoft, alleging that the company's new "Fairwater" AI data center in Mount Pleasant emits a constant low‑frequency hum that disrupts sleep, work schedules and property values for more than 1,000 nearby households.

In Washington, the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s subpanel advanced the Ratepayer Protection Act, a bipartisan bill that would require utilities to charge large‑load customers such as AI data centers for the grid upgrades they trigger. Lawmakers say the measure aims to keep families and small businesses from bearing the costs of new power generation needed by the expanding AI infrastructure.

Both developments highlight growing tensions over the rapid rollout of AI‑driven computing facilities, as communities confront local impacts while policymakers debate how to allocate the associated energy costs.