Regulator considers discounted gas for data centres in exchange for supply cuts
Tuesday 8 September 2026
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities is examining a proposal to offer cheaper gas to data centres in exchange for the power to cut their supply during peak demand.
The Commission for Regulation of Utilities is considering a proposal to offer discounted gas to data centres in exchange for interruptible supply agreements.
The regulator is currently examining how energy supplies would be affected if planning permission is granted for 17 new data centres. Under the proposal being considered, these facilities would be offered cheap gas on the condition that their supply could be turned off during periods of high national demand.
Speaking on *The Claire Byrne Show*, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) economist Muirin Lynch described the situation as complex, pointing to a major mismatch between the growing energy demands of large users and available supply.
Lynch noted that while this supply strain has been visible on the electricity side for several years, it is now beginning to manifest on the gas side. She added that Ireland's gas infrastructure is currently not where it needs to be to handle this demand.