Sir, – With some 70 energy guzzling data centres now in the State, it is interesting to read that the Commission for Regulation of Utilities has belatedly published some new rules before data centres can be connected to the electricity grid.
However, one glaring omission is their ability to create new employment in the areas these data centres are going to be located in. I would propose that for every 10 Megawatt of energy consumption used, 40 well-paid new jobs should also be created. In other words a new data centre that consumes 50Mw of energy would also be expected to provide employment for 200 company jobs in the local community.
The fibre network in the data centre is already there and the waste heat could be used to heat the new offices and a new housing development to cater for those new employees.
It is now time for all our regional politicians to stand up and fight for their local communities. – Yours, etc,
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LIAM BOLGER,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.