Google’s bid to construct a new data centre just outside Dublin has been rejected by South Dublin County Council. In a decision reached earlier this month, the council said it had rejected the proposal for a 72,400m2 data storage facility because it did not address how much power the site would consume once operational in 2027. The council’s decision aligns with Ireland’s growing concerns over electricity grid constraints, partly due to the increasing number of power-hungry data centres that are essential for cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI) applications.
Google has a month to appeal the Irish council’s decision. Dublin is already home to the search giant’s European headquarters and two data centres, in addition to 82 other such sites across Ireland run by a variety of operators. Companies have been drawn to the Emerald Isle to build such facilities because of its moderate climate and strategic position as a regional business hub. However, they are expected to consume around one-third of the country’s electricity by 2026, a significant rise from 18% in 2022.
Data in Ireland, coal in England
Separately, the UK Coal Authority is actively supporting the development of a new AI data centre in Cambois, Northeast England, which is set to become the largest such facility in Europe. Developed by investment firm Blackstone and constructed by Renaissance Land, the new data centre is expected to generate 1,600 jobs and attract billions of pounds in investment. The site’s location on a former coalfield necessitated a range of ground investigations, including gas and groundwater monitoring and sampling, to ensure safe development.
The Coal Authority claims to have played a crucial role by providing site inspections and granting necessary permits to carry out these investigations. These measures aim to confirm that all necessary safety controls are in place where the development interacts with any remaining coal deposits.
UK Coal Authority Principal Permitting Manager Riwilo Masulani said: “We’ve recently been working to make this process streamlined for developers, so development on the coalfield can happen efficiently and safely.”
In response to developer feedback, the UK Coal Authority has updated its permitting terms and conditions to simplify the process.
Changes include a capped limit on indemnity, reduced insurance requirements, and special arrangements for public sector bodies adhering to HM Treasury guidelines. These adjustments follow a series of workshops in 2023 and 2024.
Read more: Inside the data centre moratorium movement
