Wärtsilä secures 43 MW balancing power project in Finland with EPV Energy

Summary

Wärtsilä has secured a contract from Finnish energy company EPV Energy Ltd to supply a 43 MW gas engine power plant and a six-year service agreement in Lappeenranta, Finland. The project forms part of EPV Energy’s balancing power programme and is intended to provide flexible electricity generation as the share of variable renewable energy increases. The plant will initially operate on natural gas, with provision for a future transition to biogas and synthetic renewable gases. Operations are scheduled to begin in the first half of 2029.

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Wärtsilä to supply 43 MW power plant for EPV Energy in Finland

Wärtsilä has secured an order from Finnish energy company EPV Energy Ltd to deliver a 43 MW gas engine power plant along with a six-year service agreement. The project will be developed at the existing Mertaniemi power plant site in Lappeenranta, Finland, under a full engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract.

The order was booked in the fourth quarter of 2026 and forms part of EPV Energy’s balancing power programme, which aims to address the growing requirement for flexible electricity generation as renewable energy capacity expands across Finland.

The new facility is expected to strengthen grid stability and security of electricity supply by providing rapidly dispatchable power during periods of peak demand, system disturbances and reduced wind or solar generation.

EPV Energy CEO Rami Vuola said, “Flexibility is a key requirement for future power systems. Weather dependency in electricity generation is increasing while electricity demand continues to grow, creating a greater need for flexible solutions and rapidly dispatchable power generation capacity. We believe that the Wärtsilä balancing power plant solution, with its fast-starting and stopping capability, exactly meets this need,”

Four Wärtsilä engines to provide flexible grid capacity

The power plant will be equipped with four Wärtsilä 34SG gas engines. Engine-based generation can start and stop rapidly, allowing the facility to respond to fluctuations in electricity demand and variations in renewable power generation.

The project will use existing infrastructure at the Mertaniemi site while adding dispatchable generation capacity to Finland’s electricity system.

Lappeenrannan Energia CEO Arto Nikkanen said, “This investment builds on Mertaniemi’s existing infrastructure while strengthening Lappeenranta’s role in Finland’s evolving power system. We are pleased to see the site continue to play an important role in the country’s energy future,”

Six-year service agreement to cover maintenance and operational support

Alongside the equipment supply, Wärtsilä will provide a six-year service agreement covering maintenance planning, operational support and predictive maintenance through its Expertise Centre.

The services will include maintenance coordination, digital analytics, spare parts, field service support and control system patching. The agreement is intended to improve plant availability and operational efficiency while providing greater predictability in maintenance requirements.

Wärtsilä Energy Vice President for Africa and Europe Kenneth Engblom said, “Wärtsilä’s engine power plants, supported by our lifecycle services, offer a proven way to secure flexible generation capacity in a rapidly changing energy landscape. The technology enables operators to respond quickly to the needs of the market and grid, while the service agreement provides predictability in maintenance planning and operational support. Together, they support power system reliability and the continued growth of renewable energy, benefiting our customer, Finland’s energy system as a whole, and consumers.”

Plant designed for future transition to renewable gases

The four engines will initially operate on natural gas. However, the technology is designed to accommodate lower-carbon and sustainable fuels in the future.

EPV Energy plans to gradually introduce biogas and synthetic renewable gases as their availability increases, supporting the longer-term transition towards lower-carbon electricity generation.

The Mertaniemi facility is scheduled to become fully operational in the first half of 2029.

Second project under EPV Energy’s balancing power programme

The Mertaniemi development is the second project under EPV Energy’s balancing power programme. The first facility, developed with Wärtsilä technology at Tornio in Finland, entered commercial operations in April 2026.

Both projects use Wärtsilä gas engines and include associated service agreements to provide flexible generation capacity for Finland’s electricity system.

FAQs

1. What project has Wärtsilä secured in Finland?

Wärtsilä has secured a contract from EPV Energy Ltd to supply a 43 MW gas engine power plant and a six-year service agreement at the Mertaniemi site in Lappeenranta, Finland.

2. How many engines will the new Mertaniemi power plant use?

The facility will operate with four Wärtsilä 34SG gas engines.

3. What is the purpose of the balancing power plant?

The plant will provide flexible electricity generation to support grid stability and security of supply during peak demand, system disturbances and periods of low wind or solar power generation.

4. Which fuels will the Wärtsilä engines use?

The engines will initially operate on natural gas. Biogas and synthetic renewable gases are planned for gradual introduction as they become sufficiently available.

5. When will the Mertaniemi power plant become operational?

The 43 MW power plant is scheduled to become fully operational in the first half of 2029.

6. What is the scope of Wärtsilä’s six-year service agreement?

The agreement covers maintenance planning and coordination, operational support, predictive maintenance, spare parts, field services and control system patching through Wärtsilä’s Expertise Centre.