Water shortage cannot be ruled out in case of another eruption
The lava flow from the eruption on February 8 got close to the Blue Lagoon and the powerstation of HS Orka in Svartsengi. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg
It cannot be ruled out that water shortage could repeat itself in Suðurnes if eruptions start again on the Reykjaness peninsula.
This was stated in the answer of Kristinn Harðarson, production manager at HS Orka, at an information meeting on energy delivery security held in Stapa in Reykjanesbær last evening.
Harðarson was asked if there was still a possibility that residents of Suðurnes would again be without hot water if lava flows over Grindavíkurvegur again. He answered the question in the affirmative, but pointed out, on the other hand, that a long section of the Njarðvík pipeline, where lava is most likely to flow over, has been weighed down.
Kristinn Harðarson. mbl.is/Eyþór
In a much better place now than last time
"This is a method that was tested at Fagradalsfjall. We are hoping this might work. Of course, these are all somewhat uncharted times. And this has been done in an area where lava flow models show lave flow if it erupts in a similar location as last time," he said.
"At least we are in a much better place and nothing can ever be ruled out, and if it erupts somewhere else and hits the pipeline where it is exposed, there could be an interruption in supply." Then we are again ready to respond, with repair materials to lay down, and will make every effort to make that stop happen as much as possible."
About 8.5 to 9 million cubic meters of magma has accumulated under Svartsengi according to model calculations, according to the Icelandic Meteorological Office. In previous volcanic eruptions on the Reykjanes peninsula, eruptions have erupted when the volume of magma has reached 8 to 13 million cubic meters. The lead-up to an eruption can be extremely short, according to geologists.
