Mayo councillors voice concern over more data centres

Data Centres are now so unpopular with the public that many counties are no longer facilitating them, according to a local councillor.

Cllr Peter Flynn made his comments at a meeting of Mayo County Council's Environment and Climate Change Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) after a presentation by a delegation from ESB Networks and EirGrid. Cllr Flynn noted there had made been no mention of data centres during the presentation and he was nearly afraid to mention them, especially as "a lot of counties are now saying no to them and are not willing to facilitate any more of them in the country".

Cllr Harry Barrett also pointed out that data centres had not even been mentioned in the presentation, stating: “We are chasing crazy energy demand in this country, it is insatiable. It was even stated in the EU recently that our plan to power up these data centres amounts to a cautionary tale; in other words, what not to do. These are the most polluting entities that ever came into a country. Yes, jobs are at stake and investment, but we have gone far beyond other countries.” 

The Castlebar-based Independent councillor told the deputation: “You are chasing demand and as you do so you are increasing costs on families, so I ask you to stop this demand, and impress on the minster, he has to pull back from connecting more and more of these data centres. Apparently, we have more than they have in the state of New York, and it is 1.75 times bigger than us. What is the plan other than to chase crazy demand? You need to get the Googles of this world to pay for their own standing charges and energy, and ensure any increase in supply brings down the price of units of electricity for ordinary working families. Energy is our biggest export in this county, we are a major contributor, yet all we see is you putting in more wires for data centres.

“If you keep bolting on more demand the price of electricity will continue to increase. We know data centres' water and energy usage is unbelievable, they are driving demand and as they do so, they are increasing the prices. We have to impress on ministers this insatiable demand is hurting ordinary families.” 

EirGrid’s Timothy Hurley stated: “Yes, there is significant demand being consumed by data centres; probably 25% of all electricity in the country is related to demand from data centres and that is going to increase based on the number of connection agreements that are in place.” 

He added: “I should state that EirGrid and ESB Networks don’t have control over the amount of data centres that can connect to the grid, we are simply complying with government policy on this.” 

ESB Networks’ Michael Kelly added that while the trend reflected government policy, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities has implemented a new approach towards large data centres looking for access to the grid, saying: “The commission now requires that the energy users procure 80% of their own demand from local indigenous renewable sources, so the rules have changed and are becoming more challenging in that large energy users need to get local connection as well.”

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.