Ireland is considering a carrot for new data centers that can dial back when needed. If they sign up to be interruptible, they would receive a discount on gas network tariffs while still paying market prices for any gas they consume. The idea is simple enough: reward large users that can step aside when the system is tight, so everyday customers are prioritized when demand spikes.
An abundance of data centers has sprung up in Ireland because so many global technology companies operate from the country, among them Microsoft Corp. and Meta Platforms Inc. Those facilities consume a lot of energy. The regulator's push is meant to make sure households and small businesses do not get squeezed heading into winter, at a time when the war in the Middle East has unsettled global supply and lifted energy costs around Europe.
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The regulator says the flexibility could come from scaling back activity or switching to another fuel when asked. As the agency put it, "This flexibility option can be either in the form of reduction in their operation or being able to meet their energy needs using alternative fuel, which is most likely to be diesel." Data centers that opt in would still pay the going rate for gas, with the tariff break applying to the network charges only. The plan is not final yet, and the regulator will make a decision after reviewing input from industry.
