FINLAND —Wärtsilä has secured an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract from Finnish energy company EPV Energy for a 43 MW gas engine power plant at the existing Mertaniemi power generation site in Lappeenranta, Finland. The order, recorded in the fourth quarter of 2026, also includes a six-year service agreement covering maintenance, operational support and digital monitoring.
The facility will comprise four Wärtsilä 34SG gas engines designed to provide rapidly dispatchable electricity generation. Its primary function will be to support Finland's balancing power requirements by supplying electricity during periods of peak demand, grid disturbances and insufficient output from weather-dependent renewable sources. The engines can start and stop quickly, allowing generation to respond to fluctuations in electricity supply and demand.
The investment addresses a growing operational challenge for Finland's electricity system. Increasing wind and solar capacity is making electricity production more dependent on weather conditions, while electricity consumption is also rising. This creates a requirement for generation assets capable of compensating for sudden changes in renewable output and maintaining grid stability. Flexible engine-based power plants can provide this balancing capacity without requiring continuous operation.
The six-year service arrangement will cover maintenance planning, technical coordination, operational assistance and predictive maintenance through Wärtsilä's Expertise Centre. Spare parts, field services and control system updates will also be included. The arrangement is intended to support equipment availability and provide greater visibility over maintenance requirements and operating costs throughout the initial service period.
Natural gas will be the initial fuel for the installation, although the engines are designed to accommodate a transition towards lower-carbon alternatives. EPV Energy plans to introduce biogas and synthetic renewable gases progressively as commercially viable supplies become available. This provides a potential pathway for reducing the plant's fuel-related emissions over its operating life, subject to fuel availability and economic conditions.
The Mertaniemi development is the second installation under EPV Energy's balancing power programme. Its first facility, located in Tornio, Finland, entered commercial operations in April 2026 and also uses Wärtsilä gas engines supported by a service agreement. The two projects represent a coordinated expansion of dispatchable generation capacity across Finland.
Wärtsilä is a Finland-based technology group operating in the energy and marine sectors, supplying power generation equipment, integrated solutions and lifecycle services. EPV Energy is a Finnish energy company involved in electricity generation and energy infrastructure development. Lappeenrannan Energia, the local energy utility associated with the Mertaniemi site, has existing infrastructure at the location.
Full operation of the new 43 MW facility is scheduled for the first half of 2029. For Finland's energy market, the project adds dispatchable capacity to complement renewable electricity generation and could reduce the need to rely on alternative balancing resources during periods of supply volatility. For equipment suppliers and energy infrastructure operators, it also highlights continuing investment opportunities in flexible generation, long-term maintenance services and power system integration.
