Total cost of the defense walls close to ISK 7 billion
In the last eruption, the lava was splattering over the defense walls in some areas. mbl.is/Hörður Kristleifsson
Minister of Justice Gudrún Hafsteinsdóttir has authorized the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police to begin work on raising and strengthening defense walls in the vicinity of Grindavík. The total cost of the parks is estimated to be ISK 7 billion.
This is explained on the Government Offices website, but it also states that this is the sixth decision of the Minister of Justice to build or strengthen defense parks to prevent damage to critical infrastructure.
On June 18, lava flows flowed over the defense wall at Svartsengi. The lava was rising steadily at the wall and before the eruption was completed, soil construction and lava cooling were undertaken to stop the lava in its tracks.
The lava cooling aimed to slow down the flow of the lava, which was applied at four locations along the defense wall and Grindarvíkurvegur Road.
Has cost-benefits
The Minister of Justice's decision to strengthen the defense walls comes after the National Commissioner of the Icelandic Police proposed to the Minister that the defense walls in Svartsengi should be reinforced as soon as possible.
The estimated additional costs for the rise of the defense walls are approximately ISK 250-350 million.
The total cost of the defense walls was estimated at ISK 6-6.5 billion, but with all the additions, it is estimated that the cost will now be nearly ISK 7 billion.
