Quake risk buries Swiss deep GT project

In Switzerland, authorities in Basel City will cancel a deep drilling geothermal project due to the risk of additional earthquakes. A new risk analysis finds that there remains a danger of setting off more earthquakes if drilling is resumed. In 2006, quakes of about 3.4 on the Richter Scale were reportedly caused by work at the site resulting in nearly $90 million in damage claims. Among the findings – both positive and negative – was a 15% chance that drilling could set off an earthquake that could cause over $500 million in damage.