Energy Usage

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 June 2022

Tuesday, 14 June 2022

Ceisteanna (239)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

239. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications if the new Eirgrid restrictions on data centre connections to the national grid relate only to new applicants or those already approved by Eirgrid for connection; the number of approved but unconnected applications from data centre developments that Eirgrid expect to connect in the coming years; the locations of new data centres that Eirgrid expect to connect to the grid in the coming years; the total extra mw of power expected to be used by these new data centre connections in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30325/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications

The management of connections to the electricity grid is a matter for the system operators, EirGrid and ESB Networks, under rules determined by the Commission for Regulation Utilities (CRU), which is an independent statutory body and solely accountable to a committee of the Oireachtas for the performance of its functions. The matter raised in the Question relate both to the statutory function of CRU and the statutory role of EirGrid and is not a matter in which I have any role or function.