Construction BUSINESS

An Bord Pleanála has started to hear submissions about a proposal by Apple to construct a €850m data centre in Athenry, Co Galway.

Planning for the single-storey development outside Athenry was granted by Galway County Council last September but it has been appealed by eight parties.

Should permission be granted, the 24,500 sq metre development would be constructed west of the town and would employ 150 people when fully operational.

A second application to allow for a 220 kV electrical substation and a number of towers is also being considered at the planning board hearing in Galway.

In his opening submission to the hearing, Rory Mulcahy SC for Apple Distribution Limited, said the company was glad to address the issues raised.

He said the development would involve the construction of a data centre, an administration building and associated works.

In addition, Apple is seeking permission to carry out levelling works on the site to allow for the construction of additional data centres there over the next 15 years.

Mr Mulcahy said experts across a range of areas would respond to observations surrounding the environmental impact of the proposed development.

Apple says that while it is committed to using renewable energy, it is not proposing any generating facilities on site. Instead, the centre would be connected to the national grid.

The company intends to meet its commitment by entering into a contract with a renewable energy supplier.

Mr Mulcahy said he accepted the project must be assessed in light of the fact that it would be powered by supply from the national grid but he said the development would not require increased generation capacity.

Oisin Collins, who is representing a residents group in the area of the proposed development, has questioned the Commission for Energy Regulation about the demands the development would put on the national grid.

He put it to John Melvin of the CER that Apple would be the single-largest private user of electricity in the State, if the company was to expand its presence in Galway over the next 15 years.

He said it could require up to 300 megawatts of power, more than the entire usage of Dublin city each day. The hearing was told this was around 8% of total available capacity nationally.

Mr Collins questioned if the CER had fully assessed the impact this would have on the national grid.

In reply, Mr Melvin said he was confident that EirGrid would have modelled the impact before offering any connection to the grid.

The hearing also heard that sites in Roscommon and Wicklow had been identified in consultation with Coillte to offset any deforestation needed in Galway to construct the site.

Senior Director of data centre developments at Apple Robert Sharpe outlined the reasons for the proposed development.

He said internet traffic was expected to quadruple in the next five years.

Apple says it is experiencing enormous demand for its services. Mr Sharpe said it handles billions of messages, tens of millions of FaceTime calls and over one billion photos every day.

It needs to add data storage capacity to meet existing and predicted demand. Apple’s approach is to have a spread of data centres that can be upscaled in the years ahead.

Mr Sharpe said the Derrydonnell site was perfectly placed to meet this requirement. It is extremely close to two high powered supply lines and is geographically suitable for the proposed development.

Phase one would involve the construction of a single data centre but Apple’s master plan for the site envisages the construction of seven more data centres, in line with projected demand over the next 15 years.

Mr Sharpe said Apple believed it was best practice to develop data centres in clusters. He said the company had eliminated the need for chillers or air conditioning. Instead outside air would pass through the building to cool equipment and then pass through the roof.

The only water used from the public supply would be for drinking purposes. All other water requirements would be met through rain water harvesting.

The company says it would keep the movement of equipment to a minimum and use electric vehicles to transport people and materials as much as possible.

Mr Sharpe said Apple was committed to being a positive member of the local community.

The company already has over 5,500 employees in Ireland and had made a positive contribution to the region over the last 36 years.

He said it was his view that the proposed development would have a positive impact on the local economy. It would generate further investment and be “a model of energy efficiency and green design”.

The proposed development includes measures which Apple says will protect and enhance the local environment and have a minimal impact of wildlife in the area. This includes a 5km forest walkway for public use.

Should permission be given, Apple would try to commence construction as soon as possible, with a view to being fully operational by late 2018.