Valmet to deliver a biomass based boiler plant to Nokianvirran Energia

Valmet Corporation's press release March 11, 2015 at 11:00 EET

Valmet will deliver a boiler plant that utilizes biomass to Nokianvirran Energia in Finland. Valmet announced the signing of a letter of intent for the delivery on November 25, 2014. Valmet's delivery will include a HYBEX boiler with a steam power of 68 megawatts (MW) that employs the fluidized bed technology, flue gas purification equipment, and the plant's electrification and automation system.

The boiler plant will be delivered for a new steam heat station to be built in Nokia. The total value of Nokianvirran Energia's investment is approximately EUR 45 million, of which the value of Valmet's delivery is slightly more than a half. The order is included in Valmet's first quarter 2015 orders received.

The new boiler plant will utilize local fuels

The new heating station will produce process steam for the SCA Hygiene Products paper mill and the Nokian Renkaat factory, as well as district heat for Leppäkosken Lämpö's district heat customers. The fossil natural gas previously used for energy production will be replaced with more affordable biofuels, such as timber chips and whole tree chips. In addition, the boiler can utilize milled peat and sludge from the paper mill.

Leppäkosken Lämpö distributes the district heat produced by the power plant to its customers through its network. "This investment will especially improve the price competitiveness of district heat compared with other heating methods," says Juha Koskinen, the managing director of Leppäkosken Lämpö.

For SCA, which manufactures tissue, the investment will decrease the company's dependence on fossil natural gas. In addition the de-inking sludge derived from the tissue mill can also be used for energy production at the new power plant.

For Nokian Renkaat, the power plant will bring cost benefits, and additionally reduces the greenhouse gas emissions of the production process.

Technical information about Valmet's delivery

Nokianvirran Energia Oy's current plant consists of two gas-fired boilers with a steam power of 57 and 110 MW. The new 68 MW plant to be constructed will be integrated with the existing power plant. As gas is replaced by biofuels, carbon dioxide emissions in the area will decrease by 60,000-80,000 tons per year.

Valmet has delivered several fluidized bed boilers of nearly the same capacity to district heating plants and industrial facilities. "Stricter emission standards and the need for using affordable bio and recycled fuels that are more demanding in terms of corrosion, present new challenges for the boiler design. The design work for Nokianvirran Energia's new boiler has mostly been completed, and the manufacturing has been started at Valmet's Lapua workshop. According to the project schedule, steam production will begin in the spring of 2016," says Jari Niemelä, Sales Director, EMEA, Valmet.

The boiler plant will be constructed inside an existing boiler building, in the middle of the photo, from where an old coal-fired boiler, delivered by Tampella in 1963, will be demolished.

Information about Nokianvirran Energia Oy

Nokianvirran Energia Oy is a joint venture of Oy SCA Hygiene Products Ab, Nokian Renkaat Oy and Leppäkosken Sähkö Oy which is constructing a steam heat station in Nokia to be integrated with the exiting power plant. Once completed, the plant will produce process steam and district heat to its owners and improve the competitiveness of the shareholders' business operations, ensuring more stable energy prices in the long term.

VALMET CORPORATION
Corporate Communications

For further information, please contact:
Jari Niemelä, Sales Director, EMEA, Valmet, tel. +358 50 317 8050
Jukka Vierimaa, Managing Director, Nokianvirran Energia, tel. +358 44 750 3529
Juha Koskinen, Managing Director, Leppäkosken Lämpö, tel. +358 44 750 3315

Valmet Corporation is a leading global developer and supplier of services and technologies for the pulp, paper and energy industries. Our 10,500 professionals around the world work close to our customers and are committed to moving our customers' performance forward - every day.

Valmet's services cover everything from maintenance outsourcing to mill and plant improvements and spare parts. Our strong technology offering includes entire pulp mills, tissue, board and paper production lines, as well as power plants for bio-energy production.

Valmet's net sales in 2014 were approximately EUR 2.5 billion. Valmet's objective is to become the global champion in serving its customers.

Valmet's head office is in Espoo, Finland and its shares are listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Ltd.