Data Centres Consume 23% of Ireland's Total Electricity

Data centres accounted for 23% of Ireland's metered electricity consumption in 2025, totaling 7,663 gigawatt-hours. According to the Central Statistics Office Ireland, this represents a 10% increase from 2024 and a sharp rise from the 5% share recorded in 2015. While total national electricity consumption grew by 3.4%, usage by residential and other business customers rose by only 2%.

The sector's expansion is attributed to the artificial intelligence boom. To manage this growth, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities lifted a moratorium on new connections in December 2025, requiring new facilities to meet at least 80% of their annual energy demand through renewable sources. Eirgrid forecasts suggest data centres will account for 31% of the country's electricity capacity by 2034.

In response to these figures, Friends of the Earth Ireland is urging the Government of Ireland to rule out industry subsidies in Budget 2027 and implement a temporary moratorium on new hyperscale data centres. The organization asserts that data centres have added an estimated €715 million to household electricity bills and warns that this cost could rise to €1.6 billion over the next decade. The group argues that current policy is contradictory, as the state facilitates rapid industry growth while simultaneously citing energy security needs to justify a new state-led gas reserve.