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Fault-Ride-Through
Concept

Fault-Ride-Through

Grid-code procedure requiring large loads to stay connected through a brief transmission voltage dip instead of tripping to backup power.

Last refreshed: 15 July 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic

Timeline for fault-ride-through

#1029 Jun

Mentioned in: Ireland codes a 900 MW load-loss limit

Data Centres: Boom and Backlash
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Common Questions
What is fault-ride-through?
fault-ride-through is a grid-code requirement that large loads, like data centres, stay connected through a brief transmission voltage dip rather than disconnecting to backup power.Source: event
Why does fault-ride-through matter for data centres?
Without fault-ride-through compliance, a single grid fault can cause many hyperscale data centres to disconnect at once, turning a minor dip into a large, sudden loss of demand.Source: event
How much demand loss can Ireland's grid absorb?
EirGrid and SONI's procedure caps instantaneous demand loss at 900 MW and warns of imbalance risk above 1,150 MW without mitigation.Source: event

Background

fault-ride-through is the grid-code mechanism behind the 900 MW demand-loss ceiling that EirGrid and SONI issued to data-centre customers on 30 June 2026.

The requirement obliges large electricity users, including data centres, to stay connected through a brief transmission voltage dip rather than tripping over to backup generation. Without it, a single grid fault can cause many large loads to disconnect simultaneously, turning a minor dip into a sudden, large-scale loss of demand.

As hyperscale data centres grow, that risk scales with them: EirGrid and SONI's procedure caps instantaneous demand loss at 900 MW and warns that imbalance above 1,150 MW without mitigation could destabilise the all-island grid, making fault-ride-through compliance a condition of connection rather than a technical footnote.