An Coimisiún Pleanála has granted Google permission to build a third data center building at its Grange Castle Business Park campus in Dublin, Ireland, reversing a refusal issued by South Dublin County Council in August 2024. The council had originally denied permission over insufficient electricity grid capacity, a lack of significant on-site renewable energy, and unresolved Power Purchase Agreements. The approval is subject to conditions, including that Google show evidence of active power purchase agreements and use renewable fuel for backup generators.
The ruling is significant because it came despite an ongoing de facto moratorium on new data center grid connections imposed by EirGrid, which said it would not grant new application requests until 2028, suggesting an appeals process can still unlock capacity for projects that secured grid connections before the moratorium. Google has previously stated it has invested around €500 million at the Grange Castle site, and the new building at 72,400 sqm would be its largest addition there since the campus opened in 2012.
Google receiving expansion planning permission in Dublin is notable given Ireland's historically restrictive stance on data center approvals due to grid constraints, making this a significant regulatory development. 1 similar article covering this event were reviewed but not selected.