The Royal Dutch Meteorological Institute reported that a magnitude 3.1 earthquake shook the northern Dutch province of Groningen in the early hours of Saturday.
The village of Wirdum, located 145 kilometers (90 miles) northeast of Amsterdam, was the epicenter of the earthquake. There were no reported injuries.
Due to damage caused by previous tremors in Groningen from natural gas production to structures that were not built to withstand them, production in the area was drastically reduced in the late 2010s.
In the year beginning October 1, Groningen’s output, once a significant supplier of natural gas to Europe, will be limited to 2.8 billion cubic meters (bcm), or around 7% of the Netherlands’ annual domestic consumption.
In front of a parliamentary commission looking into issues related to the use of Groningen gas, including failures to repair damaged structures and compensate victims, Prime Minister Mark Rutte is scheduled to give a testimony on Thursday.
Rutte’s government has consistently stated that production could only be scaled up as a last resort if gas supplies for families run out. Nevertheless, the Dutch are under pressure to shift course after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine sparked an energy crisis.
