FORTUM CORPORATION BUSINESS PRESS RELEASE 2 August 2022
The annual outage of Fortum’s Loviisa nuclear power plant will begin with Unit 2 on Sunday, August 7th, followed by the servicing of Unit 1. This year, Unit 2 will undergo an extensive annual outage done every 4 years and Unit 1 the short annual outage. The annual outages are estimated to last a total of about 53 days.
During the annual outage, one quarter of the fuel will be replaced. In addition to the fuel replacement, both units will undergo various preliminary maintenance work, inspections, repairs and tests. Additionally, the automation modernisation of Loviisa Unit 1’s emergency generators, which was started in the previous annual outage, will be continued. The modernisation project will replace the original automation systems with digital systems.
”The Loviisa plant units have been upgraded and modernised systematically and according to plans throughout the plant’s history. This year, too, in additional to the normal annual outage maintenance work, we will carry out a number of measures that will improve plant and employee safety and operational reliability,” says Sasu Valkamo, Vice President of Fortum’s Loviisa nuclear power plant.
“We are also preparing for the power plant’s continued operations. Fortum has applied for a new operating licence for both Loviisa power plant units until the end of 2050. During the new operating licence period, the power plant is expected to generate a total of 170 terawatt-hours of emission-free electricity. Continuing production at Loviisa is particularly an investment in securing the supply of clean domestic electricity,” Valkamo says
In addition to the power plant’s 530 employees, some 750 external workers will participate in the annual outage.
Fortum Corporation
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Media contacts
Mia Willberg, Communications Manager, tel. +358 40 777 5989, mia [dot] willberg [at] fortum [dot] com (mia[dot]willberg[at]fortum[dot]com)
Loviisa nuclear power plant
In 2021, the load factor at Fortum’s fully-owned Loviisa nuclear power plant was 92.9%. The continuous development and modernisation of the power plant enable load factors that are among the best for pressurised water reactors on an international scale. During the past five years Fortum’s investments in the Loviisa power plant have totalled about EUR 325 million. In 2021, the power plant produced a total of 8.2 terawatt hours (net) of electricity, which is more than 10% of Finland’s electricity production. Fortum employs about 700 nuclear sector professionals, 530 of them work at the Loviisa power plant. Additionally, nearly 100 permanent employees of other companies work in the power plant area every day. More information: www.fortum.com/loviisa