Amazon Web Services (AWS) has received planning permission from Fingal County Council to construct three new data centres in north Dublin. These data centres will be part of the AWS data centre campus on a 65-acre land-holding at Cruiserath Road, Dublin 15. The combined power load of these new data centres will be 73MW.
While one AWS data centre is already operational on the campus, construction work is still underway for the other two. Despite opposition from groups such as Friends of the Earth and Gluaiseacht, the council granted planning permission for the project.
Eoin O Leidhin of Gluaiseacht argued against the project, expressing concerns over increased emissions in Ireland. Jerry Mac Evilly, the Head of Policy at Friends of the Earth, stated that the proposed development poses a serious risk of carbon lock-in.
However, the council concluded that the construction of the three data centres aligns with European and Government policies regarding digital infrastructure development. The council also determined that the project would not have a detrimental impact on the environment.
The council included a condition that AWS must have a Corporate Purchase Power Agreement (CPPA) in place before the data centres can operate. This agreement ensures that the energy consumed by the data centres is matched by renewable energy generation within Ireland. The council specified that the renewable energy projects must generate an amount of electricity equal to or greater than the data centres’ requirements.
The council’s 69-page planner’s report supports the AWS firm’s proposals, stating that they offer a clear pathway to decarbonization and net-zero data services. AWS confirmed that they have an existing connection agreement for power supply, which includes eight incremental increases in power supply to the site between 2022 and 2029.
According to an AWS spokesperson, this development will bring significant investment and economic benefits to the area, aligning with the government’s preference for data centres to be associated with strong economic activity and employment.
Sources:
– Fingal County Council
– AWS Spokesperson