Sir, – With the consumption of electricity by residential customers having decreased by 9 per cent recently due to sky-high prices and the mild winter, should we be concerned that an amber energy-supply alert was issued by EirGrid this week?
Obviously the ever-increasing electricity demand (30 per cent annually) from data centres is partly to blame for putting our entire electricity system at risk. Maybe the time has come to delete some of those unwanted photographs and videos from the cloud (data centre) and switch off our phones during winter time. – Yours, etc,
LIAM BOLGER,
Drumcondra,
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Dublin 9.
Sir, – It is hard to believe the apparent lack of information and control over setting up these data centres. Seeing that a typical centre consumes as much electricity as Kilkenny city, proper control over such users is urgent. For example, it would seem to be obvious that such centres should require to be fitted with solar panels or other power generating equipment and batteries to store electricity for use during dark periods.
Buildings should be insulated properly and make use of heat pumps and all available energy saving equipment as a basic standard before being allowed access to the grid.
If these facilities provide the necessary employment, as we are told, they must play their part in energy saving like all responsible citizens. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL MORRIS,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
