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A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

politico.com

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Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#61

Post by thepryz »

iamtheworstdev wrote: post #29
SayThatSh wrote: post #4

I've seen a few videos with the audible whine heard from people's houses even super far away from these datacenters. Guess we'll see in a few years whether they were worth building in the first place or whether they end up abandoned once the bubble bursts.

I assume once the bubble bursts they'll be turned into power supplies for bitcoin miners

I saw more than one video about datacenter noise that were clearly crypto mining. There are some questionable designs leveraging shipping containers and what sound like a lot of 120mm fans.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#62

Post by happytoexplain »

tren_hard wrote: post #10
bilekas wrote: post #3

> Stephenson said the data center’s operations team had not seen any “abnormalities” on the day in question. > “However, we take any reports of issues at the site seriously,” Stephenson wrote Absolutely no abnormalities because this is by design, but nobody wanted to pay attention when approving the building and zoning. Amazing what some money to politicians will get you. I can't even imaging living within ear shot o…

[flagged]

Not wanting a data center next to your home is now "pure selfish NIMBYism". This is how sick we are becoming. It's hideous that this is now how we treat people with homes in the US. Everything must get worse, and worse, and worse, and if you cry out against any single thing, you must be a selfish asshole.

It makes me want to fucking cry, what's happening to my country.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#63

Post by tt24 »

happytoexplain wrote: post #62
tren_hard wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

Not wanting a data center next to your home is now "pure selfish NIMBYism". This is how sick we are becoming. It's hideous that this is now how we treat people with homes in the US. Everything must get worse, and worse, and worse, and if you cry out against any single thing, you must be a selfish asshole. It makes me want to fucking cry, what's happening to my country.

Sorry, NIMBYism is on the way out. We are building high density housing, cafes, restaurants, shops, data centers, and offices all next to each other. Nothing you can do about it.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#64

Post by tzs »

tren_hard wrote: post #10
bilekas wrote: post #3

> Stephenson said the data center’s operations team had not seen any “abnormalities” on the day in question. > “However, we take any reports of issues at the site seriously,” Stephenson wrote Absolutely no abnormalities because this is by design, but nobody wanted to pay attention when approving the building and zoning. Amazing what some money to politicians will get you. I can't even imaging living within ear shot o…

[flagged]

The choices are not ban anything that makes noise and allow everything that makes noise.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#65

Post by sophrosyne42 »

bilekas wrote: post #3

> Stephenson said the data center’s operations team had not seen any “abnormalities” on the day in question. > “However, we take any reports of issues at the site seriously,” Stephenson wrote Absolutely no abnormalities because this is by design, but nobody wanted to pay attention when approving the building and zoning. Amazing what some money to politicians will get you. I can't even imaging living within ear shot o…

A consequence on our focus on legislation rather than the more natural legal apths of addressing these problems, e.g. easements and tort law.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#66

Post by lostmsu »

fudged71 wrote: post #46

This just happened up north, apparently the largest proposed AI data center in Canada (Synapse's $10B 1GW campus in Olds, Alberta) was just put on pause after the Utilities Commission rejected its power application on March 6, 2026 due to noise pollution concerns from 20 gas turbines, 10 steam generators, and up to 600 diesel backups near 800 homes (just 200m away). The assessments failed to model cumulative worst-ca…

Seriously, why do they have to build a DC 200m from homes? Is Alberta out of space?

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#67

Post by happytoexplain »

eweise wrote: post #47
tren_hard wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

I used to live near a busy street. I eventually got used to the noise but when I bought my house I made sure to find a quiet spot. Now, its dead quiet at night and the difference in my quality of life is significant. I also made the city put shades on the street lights so they wouldn't shine on my house. Another huge improvement.

Peace is the dream, which is being slowly killed. People who value peace are being pushed farther and farther out. You used to be able to find peace in neighborhoods, but more and more people have to choose between community and peace.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#68

Post by brador »

dionidium wrote: post #23
citrin_ru wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Point is, if you ban anything that makes noise you’ll be left with nothing, it’s pure selfish nimbyism The US is large enough country and it should be possible to build DC far away from homes. That’s a rare case where I support NIMBY. I lived in 1km from a gas fired power station and did bot notice any noise at all. If a DC can be heard it is either too close or too loud.

> That’s a rare case where I support NIMBY. It's kind of darkly funny that NIMBY ever came to refer to housing in the first place. The term was originally meant to apply to stuff exactly like this -- i.e. genuinely noxious uses that most people nevertheless agree are necessary somewhere . Almost everybody is a NIMBY in this sense.

NIMBY is an acronym: No In My back Yard.

Re: A data center opened next door. Then came the high-pitched whine

#69

Post by renewiltord »

Haha this is because of the on site gas turbines because we’ve decided that any power infrastructure is evil. You gotta love the NDFA that is the market finding the gaps in law to reach utility.

I live near a datacenter myself in San Francisco. No problems here.

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