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ARTICLE · 18 DECEMBER 2025

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CRU Publishes Long Awaited Final Policy On Data Centre Connections

William Fry LLP
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Following concerns from Ireland's Transmission System Operator (EirGrid) as to overdemand and constraints on the electricity network...

IrelandEnergy and Natural Resources
Fergus Devine
Fergus Devine
Jason Milne
Jason Milne
Liam McCabe
Liam McCabe
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Since 2015, Ireland's annual data centre electricity consumption has increased by 5,731 GWh, equivalent to 1.36 million households' annual electricity demand.

Following concerns from Ireland's Transmission System Operator (EirGrid) as to overdemand and constraints on the electricity network, in June 2021 the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), noting that it did not consider a moratorium appropriate at this time, issued a proposed decision on data centre connection measures (CRU/21/060). In order to protect security of supply, the CRU proposed new limiting measures for the assessment of data centres seeking grid connections by reference to which the System Operators were to prioritise data centre grid connection applications on the basis of:

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