Finland-headed forest- and energy industry technology supplier Valmet Oyj has announced that it has been selected by compatriot municipal energy company Helen Oy to supply an automation system to the Hanasaari electric boiler plant and a thermal accumulator being built in Helsinki, Finland. Once completed, it will be Europe’s largest electric boiler plant.
The mission-critical Valmet Distributed Control System (DCS) will ensure high availability, enhance performance, and allow Helen to capitalize on energy market price volatility with greater flexibility and profitability.
As the plant’s main automation system, the Valmet DCS will control and monitor the four electric boilers and two thermal accumulators, which will be operating as a single complex.
We have worked with Valmet for many years, and we are confident in their ability to deliver a system that meets the requirements of the Hanasaari electric boiler plant and district heating storage facilities. The Valmet DCS enables the efficient and safe production of climate-friendly, CO₂-free district heating in conjunction with the thermal accumulator units. Its advanced monitoring and control capabilities also support our strategic goals in the changing energy markets, said Juuso Järvenpää, Project Manager at Helen.
The Hanasaari power plant will feature a 200 MW electric boiler plant comprising four 50 MW units and two thermal accumulators totaling 1 GWh, with 100 MW charge/discharge capacity.
The complex will be commissioned during the 2026–2027 heating season. Valmet’s delivery, the value of which has not been disclosed, will be taken over by the customer at the end of 2026.
It includes the Valmet Distributed Control System (DCS) for controlling and monitoring the power plant’s four electric boilers and two thermal accumulators.
The delivery also includes the web-based Valmet DNAe User Interface, providing intuitive and remote access to plant operations.
We are proud to be delivering the Valmet DCS to our long-standing customer Helen’s Europe’s largest electric boiler plant. The system offers unmatched reliability, scalability, and operational efficiency throughout the plant’s life cycle, enabling our customers to optimize production, respond flexibly to electricity market fluctuations, and ensure continuous operation. At Valmet, we are committed to providing advanced automation solutions that not only address today’s energy challenges but also support our customers’ long-term success, said Tom Bäckman, Senior Sales Manager, Automation Solutions business area, Valmet.
