Amazon gets permission for two new data centres in north Dublin

Amazon has received planning permission to develop two new data centres in north Dublin.

Last week, Dublin City Council approved an application made by Amazon through Colliers Properties for permission to construct two new data centres on a 3.75-hectare site in Clonshaugh Business and Technology Park.

Amazon Web Services, a subsidiary of the ecommerce giant, already has a data centre at the location.

The approved project will consist of two, two-storey buildings on the site of the former Ricoh building which is set to be demolished.

Amazon says that 12 emergency generators will be located in adjoining compounds while between 15 and 58 staff will work at the centres over a 24-hour period.

It is estimated that more than 400 staff will be employed during the construction of the data centres.

Permission was granted by the council despite objections from local environmental groups and councillors who said that the centres would put further pressure on already strained energy supplies.

Last year, data centres account for 14 percent of all electricity demand in the country with Eirgid estimating they could account for 29 percent by 2028.

Earlier this year Eirgrid said it would not be providing any new grid connections for data centres in the Dublin region until 2028 due to capacity constraints.

However, the Commission of Regulation of Utilities ruled out a moratorium on new data centres but said the location of future facilities and their ability to generate their own power supplies would need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

In its application, Amazon said the company was committed to building a sustainable business “for our customers and the planet”.

The company pointed out that part of Amazon’s commitment to be net zero carbon across its business by 2040 was to be powered by 100 percent renewable energy by 2025.

An environmental group, Gluaiseacht, which opposed the development said that the lack of information about the power rating of the new centres made it “unclear how big of a energy guzzling monster is being added to the national grid”.

In its ruling Dublin City Council said the proposed data centres were compatible with the zoning of the site.

It also said there were several other data centres within the business park including an existing permission for one on the same site.

One of the conditions of the grant of planning permission requires Amazon to pay a development contribution of almost €1.3m to the council.