No, there is no need to worry. Although the testing and development of geothermal reservoirs in Cornwall is likely to cause some seismicity, most induced events will be incredibly small and release very little energy. Cornwall’s geology means that even minor movements may be felt across a small area close to the development. However, induced seismicity is regulated and carefully managed so it is not dangerous and will not cause any damage.

During the Hot Dry Rock project in Cornwall in the 1980s, about 10,000 microseismic events were recorded but only two were felt at the surface and neither caused any damage to infrastructure or any harm to the local community.