Councillor says Microsoft’s plan for gas power station ‘not a solution to the data centre problem’

A PBP councillor has criticised Microsoft’s new plan for a gas power station for its data centre development in Grange Castle.

People Before Profit councillor Madeleine Johansson, who earlier this year proposed a ban on new data centres, has said that the new power station is “not a solution to the data centre problem”.

The plan by Microsoft to build a 170 Megawatt private power plant at a cost of at least €100 million was revealed as the company made a special application to the Environmental Protection Agency.

“The plan by Microsoft to build a private gas power plant is not the solution to the data centre problem,” Cllr Madeleine Johansson said.

“While it doesn’t add to the congestion of the national electricity grid it will contribute to Ireland’s carbon emissions.

“The plan for a private gas power plant is clearly a way for Microsoft to circumvent the new stricter criteria for data centres in the Dublin Region.

“But if we continue to allow more data centres to be built we won’t be able to cut down our carbon emissions and will ultimately face fines from the European Union.

“It is not acceptable that the tax payer will have to pay fines for the irresponsible emissions of large corporations.

“This is one of the reasons why I proposed an effective ban on data centres in South Dublin until 2028, a ban which the Minister for Local Government overturned last month.

“There has been a worrying development of recategorizing natural gas as a “green fuel” when in reality natural gas is a fossil fuel and needs to be phased out.

“We need an increased investment in renewable sources of energy such as hydro power, wind and solar power.

“Until such a time when the grid has adequate capacity from renewable sources, there should be a ban on any new data centres.”