Finavia, which is responsible for maintaining and developing Finland’s airport network, will complete the final phase of the highly extensive runway and taxiway renovation at Kuopio Airport.
The work will take place in the summer of 2024. Consequently, there will be no flights to and from the airport between 24 June and 6 August.
This renovation contract value has risen to a total of almost EUR 20 million, with the 2024 portion of the work worth around EUR 13 million.
Mari Nurminen, Finavia's Vice President, Central and Eastern Finland Airports, said:Finavia's investment in the renovation and development of the runway and taxiways of Kuopio Airport is very significant in terms of its size. We are very pleased that this year we will be able to carry out hte final phase of the large-scale project, which will ensure smooth flight operations well into the future.
The preparatory works for the renovation will start in mid-May and continue for six weeks. These works will not interfere with any air traffic. During the suspension of flights between 24 June and 8 August, the closest airports will be Joensuu, Savonlinna and Jyväskylä, which all have flights to Helsinki Airport.
Joensuu Airport had its runway and taxiway improved in 2021, while Savonlinna Airport had its runway and taxiway surfaces replaced in 2022.
The third and final phase of the renovation works at Kuopio Airport will take place after 6 August and also have no impact on air traffic.
During the summer, a surface will be made for the runway, after which it will be asphalted. The runway and taxiway edge lights and electric power systems used by aircraft will be replaced. Simultaneously, the line of approach lights in Juurusvesi will be replaced. Taxiways B and C will be widened and resurfaced and the renovation of the stormwater sewer system will also be continued.
The replacement of the lighting and electric power systems will be in line with Finavia’s climate and energy efficiency targets. The new runway and taxiway lights will be LEDs. These works will require 12.5km of new routes to be dug for hte cables.
Mari Nurminen:As an airport company, we want to enable environmentally friendly energy solutions for those operating at the airport and greatly reduce the environmental impact of Finavia's own operations.
One interesting feature of the renovation works is the replacement of the line of approach lights, as these are built into a lake.
The summer 2024 renovation works will employ 80 people in the Kuopio area.
