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Google Grange Castle South

operating Google Our classification · status

26 MW
Average grid draw, 2025
up to ≈3% of the CSO data-centre total (upper bound)
101 MW
Stated maximum demand
planning documents · a ceiling, not use
2.3 ha
Building footprint mapped
2 buildings · OSM
€5.6m
Estimated rates a year
NAV €20.1m
2016
First completion certificate
Grid connection. Firm (existing fixed grid connection). "the Applicant benefits from an existing fixed grid connection and connection agreement signed with Eirgrid in 2021" (ACP 320852 inspector report, p.58)

Why we say it's operating

  • EPA P1189: on-site generators licensed and in use (Licensable Activity Commenced)
  • Valuation list: property 5009084 rated as DATA CENTRE
  • Valuation list: property 5023980 rated as DATA CENTRE
  • Valuation list: property 5004598 rated as DATA CENTRE
  • Planning SD14A/0023: completion certificate 2016-03-08
  • Planning SD14A/0284: completion certificate 2016-03-08

What's next on this site

  • permitted: Planning SD24A/0164W: unstarted, permission live (expires 2036-09-23) (decisionSource: ACP case page 2026-09-23 (snapshot 2026-10-06))

Who runs it

  • EPA licensee 'Google Ireland Limited'
  • OSM operator tag 'Google'
  • planning applicant
  • planning applicant 'Google Ireland Ltd.'
  • some records attributed by co-location only (no operator in their own source)
Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

Generators and power

EPA licenceStatusRoleMWthPlantPermitted hours
P1189Licensed · Licensable Activity Commencedbackup-diesel—24 diesel generators, each >5 and <=20 MWth (exact ratings confidential)150 h/yr plus testing

What the annual environmental reports say

YearLicenceGrid MW avgOn-site fuel GJFull-load hours
2023*P11894287—
2024P118918.3556—
2025P1189264,015—

* part year. Full-load hours = fuel burned ÷ the whole fleet at full load, a derived figure.

What the planning and licence documents say

Google Ireland campus at Grange Castle South: existing DC1 and DC2 (EPA licence P1189-01) plus DC3 expansion (72,400 m2, 8 data halls) granted on appeal ABP-320852-24 in 2026; figures campus-wide unless noted.

SpecValueQuote and source
Electrical demand101 MW (derived)"Total annual energy consumption based on 100% IT load is approximately 883GWh" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.153
derived: 883 GWh / 8760 h = ~101 MW average for DC1-DC3 at 100% IT load. 2025 actual DC1-2 grid use 819,090 GJ (~26 MW avg, AER 2025 p12).
Import capacity130 MVA"This connection agreement entitles GIL to import up to 130MVA which is sufficient to meet the energy demands of the existing and proposed data centres." ACP 320852 inspector report, p.58
Covers DC1, DC2 and DC3; EirGrid agreement 2021.
Grid voltage110 kV"Power to the installation is provided by two on-site 110 kV transformers within a substation, owned by the applicant" EPA P1189-01: Inspectors Report, p.3
Connection pointBarnakyle substation via on-site 110 kV substation"providing power to the existing GIL campus via the Barnakyle substation through an existing Eirgrid connection" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.151
Connection termsfirm (existing fixed grid connection)"the Applicant benefits from an existing fixed grid connection and connection agreement signed with Eirgrid in 2021" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.58
Document says 'fixed'; interpreted as firm.
On-site generationbackup diesel generators"Potential direct effects would relate to emissions from the additional 45 diesel back-up generators to be used on DC3." ACP 320852 inspector report, p.88
Generating units69 units (derived)"There are 24 existing generators that have been tested. The development proposes 45 generators." ACP 320852 inspector report, p.81
derived: 24 existing (DC1-2, P1189) + 45 additional for DC3 = 69; one passage (p79) says '45 in total', but p88 calls them 'additional'.
Fueldiesel (HVO possible)"there is potential for the backup generators to run on HVO" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.56
Existing P1189 generators burn diesel/light fuel oil (AER 2025: 4,015.2 GJ).
Running hours100 h/yr"Emergency operation of the generators would be limited to 100 hours per year" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.81
Commitment for revised licence across full campus; current P1189 licence allows 150 h/yr (EPA IR p21).
Coolingair (direct free air cooling, no water humidification)"The data halls are cooled using a direct free air cooling system." EPA P1189-01: Inspectors Report, p.3
DC1-DC2 per EPA licence report.
Water9.2 m3/day (derived)"Public Supply 3340.85 -6%" EPA P1189-01: AER-template-2021_V4-Final PPK.pdf, p.14
derived: 2025 public supply 3,340.85 m3/yr / 365 = 9.15 m3/day (DC1-2).
Floor area38,115 m2"Whilst gross floor area equates to 38,115sqm, the total developed area inclusive of ancillary support areas comprises 72,400sqm." ACP 320852 inspector report, p.6
DC3 only (data halls 25,530 m2); DC1-2 not given.
Data halls8 halls"a 72,400m2 data storage facility (DC3) which would incorporate eight data halls" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.6
DC3 only.
DatesDC3: 10-year permission from 2026 Commission order"The period during which the development hereby permitted may be carried out shall be 10 years from the date of this Order." ACP 320852 Board order, p.10
Heat reusedistrict heating connection safeguarded to site boundary, pending off-taker"The development includes measures to facilitate district heating. The system would be completed once a suitable off-taker establishes a district heat network" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.32
EPA report also notes reuse of waste heat on site (IR p16).
Renewables14-year CPPA for 58 MW Tullabeg solar; DC3 to be offset by new CPPAs (condition 5); rooftop PV"a 14 year agreement (with option to extend) with Power Capital Renewable Energy for 58MW of new to the grid capacity" ACP 320852 inspector report, p.54
Order condition 5 requires CPPAs matching DC3 fossil electricity (order p11); c.70 MW onshore wind exclusivity under negotiation.

Every value is quoted from the document and page cited; the quote was checked against that page's text. "Derived" means the reader worked it out from stated figures (shown in the quote). Planning and licence figures are design or permitted values, not measured use; values derived from an EPA annual environmental report (AER), mostly water, are reported use for that year. The note under each quote gives the scope and whether a demand figure is a maximum or an average.

Planning history

ReceivedRefWhatDecisionBuilt?
2024-06-28SD24A/0164W
Ten-year planning permission is sought for the expansion of existing Google Ireland Limited operations operations including the development of a data storage facility and all associated works. Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) was submitted with the application.
Refuse Permissionunstarted, permission live
2014-02-18SD14A/0023
Construction of a two storey data storage facility (30,361sq.m.), a double height warehouse building (1,670 sq.m) and a HV Substation area with two buildings; 1 no. 2 storey building (968sq.m.) and 1 no. single storey building (190 sq.m) and associated site development works. Permission is also sought for a new site access and entrance gates, a security gatehouse, security gates, load bank garage, perimeter fencing, internal roadways, sprinkler tank, pump house, 10KV substation, water and fuel tanks, attenuation ponds, hard and soft landscaping, 83 no. new car parking spaces and bicycle shelte
Grant Permissioncompleted (completion certificate)
Appeal 320852 (SD24A/0164W) · Grant Permissions with Conditions, 2026-09-23

Sources for this page

osm:way/547351131 · osm:way/262199046 · epa:P1189 · valuation:5009084 · valuation:5023980 · valuation:5004598 · planning:SDCC/SD14A/0023 · planning:SDCC/SD24A/0164W · planning:SDCC/SD14A/0284 · acp:320852

Joined from OpenStreetMap, the planning register, An Coimisiún Pleanála, EPA licences and annual reports, the Tailte Éireann valuation list and Building Control. Data built 2026-10-10.

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