Echelon trials fault ride through at Dublin data centre

Echelon Data Centres has tested new Fault Ride Through protocols at its DUB10 campus in Dublin, describing itself as the first large energy user in Ireland to carry out such a test.

The trial was conducted with transmission system operator EirGrid and a group of suppliers as Echelon prepared for a wider rollout across its sites. Representatives from ESB Networks, Huawei, TNEI, NeoDyne, and Ireland's Department of Climate, Energy and The Environment attended the live test.

The measure is intended to reduce the risk that brief faults on the electricity network could trigger sudden disconnections by large users. During those events, a short drop in voltage can cause facilities such as data centres to switch to backup power, cutting demand from the grid almost instantly.

That rapid fall in demand can create a frequency imbalance on the system. If severe enough, it can contribute to wider instability and increase the risk of outages.

EirGrid has been developing Fault Ride Through protocols to address the issue. The approach is designed to keep large energy users connected during transient faults, rather than having them automatically disconnect when the network experiences a brief disturbance.

Echelon used upgraded uninterruptible power supply systems at the Dublin facility so the site could tolerate transient faults without moving to backup generation. According to the company, that would allow its data centres to remain connected to the grid and maintain demand through short-lived disruptions.

Echelon has shared the test results with EirGrid and said they showed the site could meet the operator's proposed grid code requirements.

Growing load

The issue has become more pressing as data centre demand grows in Ireland and other markets. Large facilities can account for substantial electricity loads, meaning synchronised reductions in demand during network faults can have consequences beyond a single site.

Ireland has become a particular focus because of the scale of data centre development around Dublin and the pressure it places on the power system. Against that backdrop, grid operators and major users have been examining technical changes that could reduce stress on the network during disturbances.

Echelon, founded in 2017 and based in Dublin, develops, owns, and operates hyperscale data centre campuses in Europe. It says it has a pipeline of 1.2GW across markets including Ireland, the UK, Spain, and Italy.

The Dublin trial points to a more formal deployment plan across Echelon's estate. While the company did not set out a timetable, it said a systematic rollout plan is being developed following the live test.

Industry model

The work also reflects a broader shift in how grid operators and large electricity users manage reliability. Instead of treating short disturbances as events that require immediate separation from the network, the emerging model asks major loads to remain online where possible to avoid amplifying the problem.

That principle has long been familiar in parts of the power sector, particularly for generators expected to ride through faults under grid codes. Applying similar thinking to large demand customers marks a notable step as electricity systems adapt to changing load patterns and the growth of digital infrastructure.

Cormac Nevin, Director of Power, Planning and Utilities at Echelon Data Centres, outlined the outcome of the trial and its wider significance.

"We're delighted to conclude successful Fault Ride Through testing at our DUB10 campus. Working in collaboration with Huawei, TNEI, NeoDyne, and EirGrid, we were able to demonstrate that data centre demand can endure grid supply fluctuations and quickly restore power within milliseconds after faults are cleared.

"This is a global issue and, by working with grid operators, suppliers, and partners to develop practical solutions such as our Fault Ride Through protocols, Echelon is again demonstrating the importance of our Power First approach and our strong focus on collaboration with the energy industry."