No decision on proposed discounted data centre gas tariff
The energy regulator has said it has not yet made a decision on a proposal that would see data centres being offered discounted gas tariffs in return for accepting possible disruptions to their supply at times of high demand.
The energy regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), has stated it has not yet decided on a proposal for discounted gas tariffs for data centres. Under the plan, data centres would be offered interruptible gas contracts with lower network tariffs, meaning their gas supply could be reduced or cut off during times of high demand, such as very cold weather.
The CRU is currently considering stakeholder feedback before making a final decision. Gas Networks Ireland is obligated to provide third-party access to the gas network under the Gas Act 1976, and cannot refuse eligible industrial customer connection applications based on potential future capacity constraints. The CRU's purpose is to introduce safeguards that protect the security and resilience of the gas system while ensuring compliance with existing legislation.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan has criticized the proposals as reckless, stating that data centres are being offered discounts while households face higher energy costs and arrears. Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore accused the Government of allowing unrestrained data centre growth, threatening Ireland's energy security. Labour climate spokesperson Ciarán Ahern has called for a moratorium on further data centre expansion, emphasizing that struggling households should not be penalized while data centres receive discounts.
Written by urgent.news from RTE News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
