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The Finnish state-owned Metsähallitus and Enefit Green, the subsidiary of the Estonian state-owned energy company Eesti Energia (known internationally as Enefit Group), signed an agreement that gives Enefit Green the opportunity to build a wind farm in Tolpanvaara, North Ostobothnia, Finland.

According to Aavo Kärmas, CEO of Enefit Green, the enterprise is constantly looking for opportunities to grow its renewable energy portfolio in the Baltic Sea countries where Enefit Group is already operating. In March, Enefit Group started selling electricity to household customers in the Finnish market, but the goal is to start producing renewable energy in Finland, too.

"One of the opportunities we see is the development of Tolpanvaara wind farm. According to the agreement, Enefit Green will invest in the Tolpanvaara development project, when the Partial Master Plan is successfully approved in the next year and a half. When Enefit Green reaches the wind farm investment decision, the potential investment will be in the range of 100-150 million euros,” Kärmas explained.

"Metsähallitus is internationally known for its wind power projects. We are very happy to have found a company that is ready to implement our project," says Tuomas Hallenberg, the Director of the Metsähallitus Property Development Unit.

The planned wind farm is located in a relatively remote place with good wind conditions, in forest area belonging to Metsähallitus. The capacity of the wind farm will be about 100 MW. The precise cost and capacity of the wind farm will become clear after the procurements have been carried out.

”Metsähallitus wants to be a vanguard of responsible activities and to promote the achievement of the Government's climate and energy goals”, Hallenberg says. "There are currently 91 wind power stations operating on Finland´s state-owned land, and the energy that they produce corresponds to the power consumption of roughly 45 000 electrically heated houses. Tolpanvaara would be a good addition to this,” Hallenberg adds.

Enefit Green is a renewable energy company belonging to the Estonian state-owned Eesti Energia Group, which produces energy from wind, water, sun, biomass and mixed municipal waste. Eesti Energia currently produces renewable energy in Estonia and Latvia. Enefit Green's largest production units are Iru, Paide and Valka power plants and wind farms in Aulepa, Narva, Paldiski and Virtsu. In addition, a hydroelectric power plant in Keila-Joa and a solar power station in Järvamaa are owned by Enefit Green. The strategic goal of Eesti Energia is to increase the share of energy produced from renewable and alternative sources to 40% in the production portfolio of the Group by the year 2022.

The task of the Finnish state-owned Metsähallitus is to set aside and refine state-owned areas under its control to make them suitable for wind power activities, as well as active project development and the rental of land based on competitive bidding. Metsähallitus grants the right to build wind power plants on the basis of reservation and right of use agreements. Metsähallitus itself does not own the power plants.

The

of Tolpanvaara wind farm

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