WCTU joins protest against data centre
The protest took place in Kilmeaden
Waterford Council of Trade Unions (WCTU) joined with hundreds of locals in Kilmeaden over the weekend to protest against proposals made for the local, former cheese factory site, which protesters say would alter the entire composition of the village if such plans be implemented.
The planning application specifies; three ICT/data centre buildings (24,033 m² each, 19.8m high, with flues up to 25m); an energy centre with 16 gas turbines, seven generators, and stacks almost 30m high.
There is also provision for two large warehouses and multiple ancillary plant buildings; a solar farm with 43,056 panels and a 6,682 m² battery energy storage compound along with a new access road and bridge. The site would also accommodate 441 car parking spaces and HGV traffic flows.
The protest took place on Saturday and a spokesperson for WCTU said: "The protest today showed the deep concern that people in Kilmeaden have against the current proposals to build a massive multi-billion euro data centre in Kilmeaden."
The spokesperson also said the protesters were concerned over the impact the development would have on the entire community of Waterford and the surrounding counties.
"What we are already seeing in other parts of the country around data centres is vital electricity and water capacity meant for homes being seized by data centres," said the spokesperson.
"Households are paying the price through sky-high energy bills and extreme pressure on precious water resources, particularly in rural Waterford," she added.
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The spokesperson went on to comment: “Electricity demand from data centres to our national grid stood at 5% in 2015 – it had grown to 22% in 2024 and it continues to rise." Citing Eirgrid, she said that by 2034, it is expected that this, along with any other new technology-related energy drains, will rise to 34% of electricity demand.
"Data centres already consume more electricity than all rural households combined, and incredibly hard-pressed workers and families are paying double per unit what data centres are paying for their electricity," she said.
"They not only guzzle electricity, but also water," she added, before commenting: "One large data centre can consume as much water each day, equivalent to a town of up to 50,000."
"Kilmeaden and Co Waterford should not be sacrificed just to feed data centres," she said.
"We need to use the power and water we have to build and service homes, to give workers and families the opportunity to build a future in their own communities, not surrendering it all to profit-driven data centres that create very few local jobs and are disastrous for the environment," she added.
