At this rate, Groningen home reinforcement operation won't be done before 2034

The reinforcement of homes in Groningen will take until 2034 at the current pace, the State Supervision of Mines (SodM) said in a report published on Monday. The goal was to complete the operation in 2028.

The National Coordinator for Groningen (NCG) recently acknowledged that the work will take three to four years longer, partly due to a lack of capacity. The SodM is now talking about a six-year delay. “In the interest of the physical and mental health of the people in Groningen, the reinforcement task must be completed quickly,” the SodM made clear in the report.

The NCG has reinforced 5,687 homes up to and including 2024. Some 10,000 to 11,000 homes still need to be strengthened. The supervisor further said that building safety has improved in the past year due to the reinforcements and because the chance of more severe earthquakes has become smaller.

The number of earthquakes continues to decrease, but has not completely stopped since the end of gas extraction in the province. Because the pressure in the gas field still has to adjust to the new situation, there is still some ground movement. There is also still a chance of a somewhat heavier earthquake.

The SodM made several recommendations in the report. For example, the supervisory authority believes that the NCG should quickly complete the reinforcement operation by adding as few new addresses as possible to the operation and by setting clear and achievable goals. The SodM also made recommendations on legislation and regulations for aftercare and on recording and making accessible information about the reinforcement operation.