The energy regulator 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.
Under the plan from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), large energy users would be offered interruptible gas contracts with lower network tariffs, meaning their supply could be reduced or cut off when the network is under pressure, for example during periods of very cold weather.
The CRU said it is currently considering the feedback of stakeholders before making a final decision on the proposals.
“Gas Networks Ireland has statutory obligations under the Gas Act 1976 to provide third-party access to the gas network and cannot simply refuse eligible industrial customer connection applications on the basis of potential future capacity constraints,” a CRU spokesperson said.
“The purpose of the CRU’s proposal is therefore to introduce appropriate safeguards through interruptible connection arrangements that protect the security and resilience of the gas system while ensuring compliance with the existing legislative framework,” the CRU added.
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan has branded the proposals as reckless.
“Given that 27% of households connected to the gas grid are in arrears, it’s another insult to people for the data centres that are part of driving up the cost of energy, are being offered discounts, while households have been left in the cold by the Government,” Ms Boylan said.
Social Democrats TD Jennifer Whitmore has accused the Government of allowing unrestrained data centre growth to put Ireland’s energy security in serious jeopardy.
“The CRU has outlined that just 17 planned new data centres will have the same gas demand as six large gas-fired electricity generators or 2.6 million homes,” Ms Whitmore said.
Labour climate spokesperson Ciarán Ahern has reiterated calls for a moratorium on further data centre expansion.
“People struggling to pay their energy bills will rightly ask why data centres are in line for a discount while ordinary customers continue to pay through the nose,” Mr Ahern said.