Written answers
Monday, 8 September 2025
Department of Environment, Community and Local Government
Semi-State Bodies
Pa Daly (Kerry, Sinn Fein)
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106. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 156 of 29 July 2025, if any parameters were put in place regarding the type of projects the €3.5 billion will be targeted towards; if this investment can be used to power data centres; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44745/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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The €3.5bn equity investment by Government into ESB and EirGrid will be ringfenced to fund critical electricity network infrastructure both onshore and offshore. In relation to ESB, the company submitted an ambitious programme of works to both reinforce our distribution and transmission network and to enhance and enlarge its ability to connect more renewable energy, new housing, new businesses across the country. Specifically, their investment programme, supported by the Government equity will deliver:
| - | |
|---|---|
| 27 new 110kV substations | Supporting Government Housing Targets |
| 16 110kV substation upgrades | Electrification of public transport projects |
| 11 new 38kV substations | Charging infrastructure for 945,000 EVs |
| 15 38kV upgrades | Power for 600,000 heat pumps |
| Over 50,000 pole replacements | Meeting growing electricity demand from population and industry |
| 181km of new overhead lines | Increasing supply of onshore wind and solar renewable electricity by 2030 |
| 319km of new underground cables | Reducing reliance on gas imports for electricity |
| 55km of replacement underground cables | Improved network resilience |
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