Fortum begins annual maintenance at Loviisa nuclear power plant
Fortum has scheduled the annual maintenance outage for its Loviisa nuclear plant starting August 2, 2026, featuring major system modernizations and ongoing fuel supply changes.
The annual maintenance outage at Fortum's Loviisa nuclear power plant is set to commence on August 2, 2026, with work concluding by October 18. The plant will operate on a staggered schedule, keeping one unit active while the other undergoes maintenance. Unit 2 is slated for a comprehensive, eight-year major service, which includes rigorous inspections of the reactor pressure vessel and system pressure testing.
Sasu Valkamo, Senior Vice President of the Loviisa plant, stated that the maintenance schedule is critical to ensuring the plant's continued role in maintaining grid stability. Beyond the facility’s permanent staff, approximately 1,000 contractor personnel will be deployed to complete the service tasks.
A central focus of this year's outage is the launch of more than ten modernization projects designed to extend the plant’s operational lifespan. Key upgrades include replacing the main seawater pumps, modernizing low-pressure turbines, and overhauling turbine automation. The company has projected capital expenditures of up to €1 billion through 2050 to maintain safety and efficiency standards as the plant nears the end of its current licensing term.
Furthermore, the outage serves as a milestone in Fortum's strategy to diversify its fuel sources. The company will continue its shift toward Western-supplied fuel by loading units with Westinghouse-designed fuel. Simultaneously, Fortum is collaborating with France’s Framatome to develop a fully European nuclear fuel source for its VVER-type reactors.