Massive Google data centre in Dublin blocked over blackout fears

Local officials refuse tech giant’s expansion plans to prevent strain on electricity grid

Plans for a vast Google data centre on the outskirts of Dublin have been blocked amid fears it would put pressure on the electricity grid and heighten the risk of blackouts.
The tech giant’s proposals for an expanded data centre, measuring nearly 800,000 sq feet, were refused by local officials over concerns they risked further straining the “existing insufficient capacity in the electricity network”.
The country’s grid operator, EirGrid, has previously warned of “rolling blackouts” if the expansion of foreign tech giants was allowed to continue unchecked.
Ireland is home to more than 80 data centres, which account for more than a fifth of the country’s electricity consumption, and many US tech giants maintain a sizable presence in the EU member state. Google’s European headquarters are located in Dublin.
There has been a de facto moratorium on new data facilities in the Dublin area since 2022 to ease pressure on its electricity network.
However, Google had put forward plans for a new facility at Grange Castle, which would have been roughly the size of 10 football pitches. The project was expected to create 800 construction jobs and 50 permanent roles once it was in operation.
South Dublin County Council’s planning department said it had rejected the plan because of a “lack of detail of how the proposal will impact power supply once operational”.
Google’s application said around 20pc of the site’s energy needs would have been met by solar panels, but the council said this was a “significant shortfall” on the required aim of 100pc renewable energy generation.
The council added: “With regard to the power supply and electricity network, it is not clear if there is sufficient capacity within the network for the proposed development”.
Local councillors and environmental groups warned that Google’s proposed development could increase the risk of blackouts.
Seán O’Callaghan, planning officer at An Taisce, The National Trust for Ireland, warned the expansion plans would “put great pressure on an already strained electricity grid in the Dublin region”.
Gino Kenny, the socialist People-Before-Profit Teachta Dála, equivalent of an MP, for Dublin Mid-West, and two local councillors added they were “extremely concerned about the capacity of the electricity grid at this time”.
They said: “The applicant has stated that they will use the existing connection to the grid for the expansion of the data storage facility. This would have a significant impact on the capacity of the grid in the local area and could lead to blackouts in the local area.”
Data centres are energy intensive and use local water supply to cool circuitry.
Google’s proposed investment comes as tech giants seek to grow their physical infrastructure to handle demands of artificial intelligence (AI) software.
AI uses a large amount of processing power and the launch of products such as Google’s Gemini is prompting a wave of investment in new capacity.
In July, Google admitted its greenhouse gas emissions had climbed nearly 50pc over the past five years as it expanded its data centre footprint.
The increase comes despite Google’s pledge to reach net zero by 2030 and for its data centres to be run on carbon-free energy.
Google was contacted for comment. It has the option of appealing the decision.