Valmet Boosts Winter Heat Security With Smart Automation Upgrade For Tampereen Energia

Valmet is to deliver a distributed control system (DCS) to Tampereen Energia’s Nekala Heating Plant in Tampere, Finland. The Nekala plant plays a key role in supplying district heat during the coldest winter months, when reliability is essential. With Valmet’s mission-critical automation, Tampereen Energia can maximize system availability, prevent failures, stabilize peak loads, and ensure an uninterrupted heat supply when it is needed most.

“We have a long-standing cooperation with Valmet and extensive experience with Valmet DCS across our other power plants. Its flexibility in retrofit projects, combined with seamless integration into our existing Valmet DCS main automation system, makes upgrades straightforward. The web-based user interface is modern, and I believe that our operators will be pleased to expand its use. Valmet’s local customer service and tailored solutions have provided an excellent technical approach, supporting the full lifecycle of our plant automation system,” says Panu Wirtanen, Project Engineer at Tampereen Energia.

"We are pleased to expand our installed base at Tampereen Energia, further strengthening our partnership. The new system integrates seamlessly with the company’s existing Valmet main automation system, providing a highly efficient and unified solution. A common engineering server, centralized data collection, and shared spare parts enhance maintenance efficiency and plant performance. This solution ensures continuous reliability and long-term customer success throughout the plant’s lifecycle,” says Arto Mäkinen, Senior Sales Manager, Automation Solutions business area, Valmet.

The order is included in Valmet’s orders received of the third quarter 2025. The value of the order will not be disclosed. The delivery will be taken over by the customer on summer 2026.

Delivery’s technical information
The new system will replace the site’s outdated automation system and will be fully integrated with the company’s existing Valmet DCS. The delivery includes a Valmet Distributed Control System to control the heating plant’s three 40 MW boilers, along with the Valmet DNAe User Interface for the control room. The scope of supply also covers the Valmet ACN I/Os and Profibus fieldbus interface.

Valmet offers a unique retrofit concept for modernizing power plant automation systems, enhancing efficiency, reliability, and performance while reducing operating costs.