Fact check · claim about Irish data centres
misleading"Ireland has stopped building data centres."
Verdict: misleading. New grid connections have nearly stopped (one new contract in ~3.5 years after Nov 2021), but data-centre electricity still grew 10% in 2025 as existing sites fill ~1.0-1.4 GW of capacity contracted before the rules changed. Six campuses are under construction in our directory (CSO, Jul 2026).
Checked against data built 10 October 2026 · how we check claims · corrections
The full explanation
New grid connections have nearly stopped (one new contract in ~3.5 years after Nov 2021), but data-centre electricity still grew 10% in 2025 as existing sites fill ~1.0-1.4 GW of capacity contracted before the rules changed. Six campuses are under construction in our directory.
Sources
| Figure | Value | Source | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data-centre metered electricity, 2025 (6,973 GWh in 2024). 23% of metered electricity. | 7,663 GWh/yr | CSO, Data Centres Metered Electricity Consumption 2025 - Key Findings | 2026-07-07 |
Also: research/findings.md (legacy capacity, directory)