Valmet and Helen Oy have signed a comprehensive four-year service agreement to ensure long-term performance for the newly converted wood-pellet-fired K7 BFB-boiler in Helen’s Salmisaari power plant in Helsinki, Finland.
According to a press release, the agreement was included in Valmet’s orders received in the second quarter of 2025, and it is effective immediately. The value of the agreement will not be disclosed.
The Salmisaari K7 boiler, originally coal-fired, was converted by Valmet into a bubbling fluidized bed (BFB) boiler. The project was handed over to the customer in March 2025, and it marked another milestone towards Helen’s goal of carbon-neutral energy production and represented a major step in phasing out coal in favor of clean energy. 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,” says Jari Rahtu, asset manager, Helen Salmisaari.
“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,” says Sampo Smolander, sales manager, pulp, energy, and circularity Finland, Valmet.
Delivery’s technical information
The service agreement 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.
About the customer
Helen helps to make everyday life a little easier for approximately 600,000 customers in Finland. In addition to electricity, heating, and cooling, Helen offers solutions for regional and renewable energy and electric transport. They are developing a smarter, carbon-neutral energy system that enables customers to produce, use, and save energy with respect for the environment.
