Senator speaks out against plans for Waterford data centres

Speaking in the Seanad this week, Senator Joe Conway expressed his concerns over a proposed data centre and energy hub for Kilmeaden.

Originally described as a “new village centre” the proposed site has garnered significant opposition from the local community, who say it will have a serious negative impact on the environment.

Senator Conway said, “I am deeply concerned about the road we are taking. Many would say that the world is beginning to tip into a great climate challenge.” 

He argued that data centre development should be a national policy rather than left to local authorities to approve or deny planning permission for them.

He said: “The proposal by Echelon Data Centres and Kent Homes Ltd. includes three large data centres, a solar farm, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and a gas-powered energy centre across approximately 108 hectares of rural land.

“While located in Kilmeaden, the issues raised by this development are of national importance. At a time when Ireland is seeking to reduce emissions and meet ambitious climate targets, serious questions arise regarding the project's electricity demand, water consumption and its impact on local resources.” 

He questioned the compatibility of largescale data centre developments with national climate, planning and environmental policies.

Ireland could currently face up to €26 billion in penalties from the EU for missing its climate targets, mainly due to energy-related issues. Data centres account for over one fifth of Ireland’s electricity usage. In 2015, that figure was five per cent.

Senator Conway referred to a report recently published by Friends of the Earth where they state: “High data centre energy demand in Ireland, combined with dependence on fossil gas for electricity, is creating additional costs for households.” 

They estimated that this cost could be as high as €1.43 billion.