Data centres accounted for 23% of Ireland’s total metered electricity consumption in 2025, according to new figures from the Central Statistics Office.
The figures show that data centres consumed 7,663 GWh of electricity during the year, up 10% from 6,973 GWh in 2024. That means the sector is now using almost as much power as every household in Ireland combined.
While Ireland has become one of Europe’s key data centre hubs, the latest figures are likely to renew debate around how much further the sector can grow without adding further strain to the country’s electricity system.
Data centre electricity consumption in Ireland has increased by 518% since 2015, reflecting the rapid growth of hyperscale cloud and colocation infrastructure in the country. There are now more than 80 data centres operating in Ireland, with many of the largest clusters located in and around Greater Dublin.
That growth has not come without controversy. Dublin has effectively been operating under a moratorium on new data centre developments since 2022, amid concerns over grid constraints and the ability of the electricity system to cope with rapidly rising demand.
That restriction was lifted seven months ago by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, although it has been replaced with a tougher framework for future projects. Under the new rules, data centre operators are expected to provide matching on-site generation and source at least 80% of their annual demand from new, unsubsidised renewable energy projects.
The move followed a CRU decision paper published last February and forms part of a wider attempt to ensure that future data centre growth is more closely aligned with Ireland’s energy and climate objectives.
Matching data centres with clean power
In January, the Irish Government set out plans to support the co-location of data centres with renewable energy infrastructure as part of a wider push to improve grid resilience.
The plan focuses on the development of large energy parks for the most energy-intensive industrial sectors after 2030, including data centres. These sites are expected to be developed at the scale of hundreds of megawatts, reflecting the significant level of demand that the sector is expected to place on the grid.
That approach could help Ireland maintain its status as a major destination for digital infrastructure investment, while also reducing the pressure placed on constrained parts of the electricity network.
Ireland is already home to some of the world’s largest data centre operators, including Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google and Meta. Global colocation providers including Equinix, Digital Realty, CyrusOne, Vantage Data Centers and Echelon Data Centers also operate in the country.
Despite ongoing questions around power availability, investment has continued. In March, Equinix broke ground on a new $92 million data centre in Dublin, which is expected to come online in 2028.
The challenging environment also led Ireland to play host to Europe’s first data centre microgrid, which was designed to specifically address local concerns. That means despite the challenges, Ireland is likely to continue to attract investment in the future.
