Fortum to begin annual maintenance at Loviisa nuclear power plant in Finland

Fortum has announced that the annual maintenance of its Loviisa nuclear power plant will commence on Sunday, August 4. The maintenance will start with Unit 2, followed by Unit 1. Unit 2 will undergo a short annual maintenance, while Unit 1 will have a more extensive four-year maintenance cycle. Overall, the annual maintenance activities are expected to last a total of 51 days.

During these maintenance operations, a quarter of the fuel will be replaced with new fuel. In addition to the fuel exchange, various preemptive maintenance tasks, inspections, repairs, and tests will be conducted on both units, according to Fortum.

“Nuclear power generates electricity continuously for most of the year, but once a year, the nuclear reactor must be shut down for fuel exchange and certain maintenance and service tasks,” stated Sasu Valkamo, the plant’s director.

In addition to the permanent staff at the power plant, around 700 contractors will also participate in the maintenance work. In 2023, the Finnish government granted the Loviisa plant a new operating license, valid until 2050. Last year, the Loviisa power plant produced over 10 percent of Finland’s electricity.