In Finland, forest industry and energy technology major Valmet Oyj, and Helsinki municipal energy utility Helen Oy have signed a "comprehensive" four-year service agreement to ensure long-term performance for the newly converted coal-to-wood-pellet-fired K7 boiler at Helen’s Salmisaari power plant in Helsinki.
The Salmisaari K7 boiler, originally fired on coal, was converted by Valmet into a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) boiler.
The project was handed over to the customer in March 2025, marking another milestone towards Helen’s goal of carbon-neutral energy production and a major step in phasing out coal in favor of clean energy.
Effective immediately, the service agreement aims to ensure long-term operational reliability, safety, and optimal performance of the entire plant through proactive and planned maintenance services and process support.
We have had excellent cooperation with Valmet, and we are pleased to continue our partnership with a new agreement for the Salmisaari K7 boiler. At Salmisaari, Valmet will have an important role in providing operational services in close cooperation with Helen’s personnel, said Jari Rahtu, Asset Manager, Helen Salmisaari.
The service agreement, the value of which has not been disclosed, includes annual inspections and maintenance for specified parts in the K7 plant, covering the boiler pressure parts, flue gas cleaning system, condensing unit, condensate treatment system, and auxiliary equipment.
It also includes shutdown planning, participating in maintenance and spare parts management planning, and on-site as well as remote process support with Valmet Industrial Internet services.
The new service agreement was tailored together with the customer to meet their specific needs. As the BFB boiler and flue gas condensing systems are new technologies at the Salmisaari plant, the agreement provides targeted support to help ensure their smooth integration and reliable operation. We value the opportunity to continue our collaboration at every stage of Helen’s transition to sustainable energy – from delivering the boiler conversion to providing support through the tailored service agreement, said Sampo Smolander, Sales Manager, Pulp, Energy & Circularity Finland, Valmet.
