Neste will undertake a major maintenance turnaround at its Porvoo refinery in Finland between August and October 2026 as part of its ongoing programme to maintain the site’s safety, reliability and long-term competitiveness.
The planned turnaround will last approximately nine weeks and involves an investment of more than €400 million. Around 7,500 people are expected to participate in the project, including approximately 1,000 Neste employees and specialists from more than 100 contractor companies. More than 80 percent of the contractors involved are Finnish companies, while specialist personnel from countries including Germany, Poland, Spain, Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK will also support the work.
Photo from the Porvoo maintenance turnaround in 2024. Photo: Neste, Joonatan Leino
The maintenance programme will include statutory inspections, routine maintenance activities and equipment upgrades that can only be carried out during a full refinery shutdown. Major turnarounds of this nature are typically conducted every two-and-a-half to three years to ensure continued safe and efficient operations.
Despite the temporary shutdown, Neste confirmed that fuel deliveries to customers will continue uninterrupted throughout the maintenance period. The company has built up product inventories in advance to maintain normal sales and distribution, while both the Kilpilahti port and the Porvoo distribution terminal will remain fully operational during the turnaround.
The large-scale project is expected to increase traffic around the Kilpilahti industrial area due to the significant number of contractors and specialist personnel working on site. Temporary traffic management measures will be introduced to minimise disruption during the maintenance period.
Residents in the surrounding area may also experience short-term flaring and increased noise during the shutdown and subsequent restart of refinery operations, although Neste said it will take steps to minimise any inconvenience to neighbouring communities.
The company said the turnaround forms an essential part of its long-term asset management strategy, helping to ensure continued operational safety, improve reliability and support efficient fuel production while safeguarding energy supply to customers.
The Porvoo refinery is one of Finland’s most important refining assets and complements Neste’s global renewable fuels business. In addition to producing conventional oil products, the company remains a leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with renewable fuel production capacity expected to reach 6.8 million tonnes annually by 2027.
For more information visit www.neste.com
