Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2024
137. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline the number of islanded data centres that are already connected to the gas grid; those that contracted to connect; those that are seeking contract to connect; and for each category, the amount of capacity involved, in tabular form. [7671/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government's July 2022 Statement on the Role of Data Centres in Ireland’s Enterprise Strategy describes and an ‘Islanded’ data centre as a development that is not connected to the electricity grid and is powered mainly by on-site fossil fuel generation.
GNI has advised my Department that is does not currently assign or classify data centres as between “islanded” and “non-islanded”. GNI’s application process does not currently require information as to alternative fuel sources and GNI does not formally collect information as to whether a data centre would be ‘islanded’ or connected to the electricity network. However, my Department is engaging with other relevant Departments and agencies, including CRU, Gas Networks Ireland and EirGrid, to ensure implementation of the July 2022 Statement.
|
Category |
Number |
Aggregated Max Hourly Load (MW) |
|
Data Centres contracted to connect to the gas network |
11 |
2,100 |
|
Connected to the gas network (of those contracted) |
5 |
1,379 |
|
Formal Enquiries received from Data Centre Sites (but not contracted) |
20 |
8,787 ** |
GNI has provided my Department with the information in the table above relating to the connection agreements entered into by GNI in relation to all data centres, together with information as to additional connection applications. This information therefore relates to all applications for connection to GNI’s network.
* Of the 11 that are contracted, 5 are connected, with less than 3 data centre sites of these consuming gas
**Projected demand from these enquiries’ ranges from 40MW up to 1,300MW
GNI is engaging with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in relation to the impact of the July 2022 Government Statement on gas connection policy. GNI is not currently contracting more data centres pending the conclusion of this process.
Gas Networks Ireland as part of the preparation of the draft Network Development Plan 2023, estimated that the current contracted data centres may account for 12.3% of the forecasted 2031/32 Industrial and Commercial demand load.
GNI has advised my Department that the actual annual gas consumption demand of each data centre site can vary greatly because of different factors; many of which are commercially sensitive to each developer. The factors which can affect the annual consumption of gas include:
• the timings of receiving an energised electrical grid connection.
• the build out programme of the data centre development which Gas Networks Ireland understand will take multiple years;
• the availability / constraints on the electrical grid e.g. the number of instances with which a data centre site is instructed to reduce its consumption by the electrical grid Transmission System Operator or Distribution System Operator (estimated as being in the order of 500 hours per annum in the case of flexible electrical grid offers); and
• the data centre server utilisation rate (which can vary depending on the customer using the data centre space)
Given the uncertainties outlined above and the ongoing CRU review of connections for Large Energy Users; Gas Networks Ireland has informed my Department that it is unable to provide an accurate forecast of the total potential future demand associated with uncontracted data centres beyond what is set out in the table above.
