Data centres accounted for more than one-fifth of Irish electricity usage in 2024, the Central Statistics Office found. Photograph: Naoise CulhaneIn the Microsoft data centre campus on the outskirts of Dublin, the data halls of 13 centres are voraciously devouring vast amounts of electricity. The consumption of electricity by data centres had soared in recent years; they used more electricity in 2024 than every home in an Irish city or town. The electrical plant room at Microsoft’s Grange Castle data centre campus in west Dublin. But more data centres means more demand for electricity and the strains that led to the moratorium are still showing.

Source: The Irish Times February 18, 2026 19:04 UTC