Teboil ordered to vacate site in Kelloniemi, Kuopio by June 2024

The oil company Teboil is required to vacate its site in Kelloniemi, Kuopio, by the end of June next year. The company’s lease agreement expires at the turn of the year, granting them six months to dismantle and clean the premises. Teboil has operated an oil storage facility at this location for over 50 years, although there has been no activity in the past 13 years.

The North Savo ELY Center has initiated the process to revoke Teboil’s environmental permit. Tanja Ahonen, the environmental director for the city of Kuopio, noted that the ELY Center has previously inquired about Teboil’s plans for shutting down operations. “As the company did not respond to these inquiries, the ELY Center initiated the permit revocation last spring. Teboil has not opposed this,” Ahonen summarized.

The site holds strategic significance due to its proximity to the Air Force’s Karelian Brigade base. Teboil is a subsidiary of the Russian oil company Lukoil. Recently, Teboil submitted an application to Kuopio for a demolition permit, which includes the removal of all buildings, tanks, pipelines, canopies, and other structures on the property. The city’s building supervision will consider the permit, with a decision expected by the end of September. This process will involve consultations with neighbors.

Ahonen explained that Teboil must dismantle all structures and remediate the soil, with approximately 2.5 hectares of land to manage. She assessed that this presents a significant undertaking, given the scale of operations and the amount of oil involved. However, she also pointed out that while the timeline appears tight, demolition work could commence as soon as this autumn.

Currently, investigations are being conducted to determine if the soil is contaminated, after which remediation plans will be developed if necessary. Depending on the regional administrative authority’s permit, either Kuopio or the North Savo ELY Center will oversee the cleanup process. Ahonen assured that there are no exceptional circumstances surrounding the closure of Teboil’s operations or the permit revocation, despite the long period of inactivity.