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    Households ‘put on the hook’ for cost of data centre expansion to electricity grid
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    Households ‘put on the hook’ for cost of data centre expansion to electricity grid


    Households ‘put on the hook’ for cost of data centre expansion to electricity grid

    https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2026/09/22/households-put-on-the-hook-for-cost-of-data-centre-expansion-to-electricity-grid/

    Posted by Banania2020

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    19 Comments

    1. Banania2020 on

      Irish households are disproportionately funding electricity grid upgrades driven by the massive expansion of multinational data centres, according to a newly published report. The study criticizes the Commission for Regulation of Utilities for distributing network upgrade costs across domestic and business energy bills instead of charging the technology corporations directly. For further details, read the article.

    3. Red_RingRico on

      Crazy that Ireland has some of the most expensive electricity in the world, the lowest corporate tax rates, and the people subsidizing costs for data centers. Truly the trifecta of “fuck you” to the citizens.

    4. sureyouknowurself on

      >due to an absence of transparency and traceability

      That’s just the state doing what the state does best. This way absolutely no one can be held accountable and the friends of the state get what they want.

    6. the_journal_says on

      Why isn’t r/Ireland as mad about this as they are about the fuel subsidies or the €220 million paid to farmers and haulage firms so they can continue to operate?

    9. Basejumper435 on

      Well, when the full social credit system is in full swing they are going to be literal slaves anyway so why not ease them in gradually. Frog and hot water analogy…

    10. Unable_Carpenter_203 on

      The data centres are thieves, abusing our infrastructure and taking money out of the pocket every person living in this country. The spineless TDs in government have nothing to say about it and are doing sweet fuck all about it. And now here comes winter with the highest energy costs we’ve ever faced.
      Blockade profile park in Grangecastle if anyone is going to blockade anything this time.

    12. mrpcuddles on

      Here goes the weekly comment

      Datacentres pay for grid upgrades, at minimum, if they want to operate here.

      Thats been in place since 2021

      https://www.mhc.ie/latest/insights/permitting-irish-data-centres-what-you-need-to-know-1

      https://www.pinsentmasons.com/out-law/news/irish-data-centres-power-national-grid-regulator

      It was part of the memorandum on new data centres where the goverment was to establish a system for grid stabilisation and energy security with funding from the multinationals.

      But as usual, after 6 years we were left with empty promises and missing funding while the DCs are left building and running the substations for our grid stabilisation 100% privately.

    14. SubstantialAttempt83 on

      On one hand the narrative is excessive energy use is bad, we should focus on using energy when demands on the grid are at the lowest and for extra measure energy should be taxed to the hilt to discourage its use.

      On the other hand let’s try an attract an industry that is known for excessive energy consumption by offering a significant bulk energy discount. The grid also needs significant upgrades so let’s apply significant levies to household bills and pass the network efficiency savings onto industry.

    15. Th0rHere on

      Feels rather click bait .

      They admit they have no figures but suggest home owners pay more. Why not provide the numbers on how they got there.

      Connecting 10k houses vs connecting 1 or even 5 DCS is not comparable. It’s far easier to connect DCs to the grid, regardless of how much power they use. Also it’s supplying high voltage directly.

      Also, it’s consistently reported that DCs use 22- percent of grid. I can understand some arguments, but why would the 20 percent pay for upgrades more over the 80 percent. Remember DCs in Ireland aren’t one company. Their dozens of companies.

      There has been a rather large block on new planning for DCs for years. Yet electricity prices continue to rise. Suppliers are generating massive profits year over year.

      This is just scape goating for suppliers greed. 

    16. caisdara on

      >It is not possible to assess how much Irish households are paying to subsidise the proliferation of data centres due to an absence of transparency and traceability, according to a new report on how network charges are imposed.

      Not exactly convincing.

    17. CrivCL on

      Whatever way you feel on data centres (probably negative to be fair), I’d be very cautious about trusting this report without seeing it.

      * The report doesn’t appear to be available to read anywhere.
      * It’s not usual for a researcher to publish unpeer reviewed non grant supported reports. Doubly so via a political party.
      * No mention is given of what her normal field of research is, nor any mention of her qualifications.
      * “Eve Ryan” doesn’t seem to appear anywhere I can see on TCD’s site. Including their staff and research group sites. Edit: May have found [a reference to her](https://www.tcd.ie/law/news–events/2026/news/prize-giving-ceremony-2026/) – she’s a law PhD student?
      * “Eve Ryan” doesn’t appear to have any peer reviewed publications if you check, say, Google Scholar (which normally overdoes it and adds low value references).
      * TCD isn’t known for energy/power systems as a research area – I’d even go so far as to say I’m not even sure they have meaningful research groups for it. They don’t even offer Electrical Engineering at degree level.