Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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265. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if there is a moratorium on data centre applications in the Dublin region; the position of Eirgrid on new data centre applications in the Dublin region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19892/22]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Under Section 34 of the Electricity Regulation Act 1999, as amended, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) may give directions to EirGrid, the transmission system operator (TSO) and ESB Networks, the distribution system operator (DSO), collectively the “system operators” (SOs), on the terms and conditions of access to the transmission and distribution systems (the electricity system).  

In November 2021, the CRU published the “CRU Direction to the System Operators related to Data Centre grid connection processing” decision (CRU/21/124). This decision did not impose a moratorium on data centres, but rather directed the System Operators to implement a set of assessment criteria by which to process data centre grid connection applications. Given the constraint situation in the greater Dublin Region, and the number of data centres applying for connection to the greater Dublin Region, the CRU considered it necessary to introduce a locational criterion in the Directions to the SOs which requires the SOs to take into consideration the effects of connecting data centres inside constrained areas before further processing data centre applications, in order to mitigate further constraint issues in this area and any other area that may be identified by the SOs as constrained in future. In addition, under the Climate Action Plan 2021, the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment has also committed to reviewing the 2018 'Government Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland's Enterprise Strategy' to ensure alignment with Ireland’s renewable energy targets, sectoral emissions ceilings and climate priorities. My Department is working with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and relevant state agencies to ensure that there is a plan-led, regionally balanced approach to large developments such as data centres, taking into account congestion, existing grid availability and the opportunity to co-locate significant renewable energy opportunities. As transmission system operator, EirGrid is one of the stakeholders inputting to this review. The statement is due for publication later this year.