Klaus Metsä-Simola
Klaus Metsä-Simola
Klaus advises domestic and international clients on assignments related to environmental law. He is regularly involved in a wide range of energy and natural resources projects. Wind power development, solar PV, hydrogen projects, and mining are particular focal areas of Klaus’s expertise, and he has in-depth regulatory know-how and practical experience in these fields. Klaus has also had an active role in numerous infrastructure-related projects ranging from waterways to harbours and road networks. Klaus is a member of Hannes Snellman’s cross-border Infrastructure & Energy team, which is a multi-disciplinary group of experienced lawyers whose expertise cuts across capital markets, construction, environment, litigation, PPP, project finance, restructuring and tax, and which has an outstanding track record. He is also active in Hannes Snellman’s ESG Group.
Working with Klaus Metsä-Simola really calms us down when a matter is turbulent.
Chambers Europe 2023
References
Parties
ib vogt, Renewable Power Capital Nordics
Transaction
Legal advisor to ib vogt in its disposal of a 50 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project to Renewable Power Capital Nordics. The BESS project is located in Kalanti, Uusikaupunki, in Southwest Finland, and is ready to be built. It is one of the larger BESS projects in development in Finland.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to ib vogt
Parties
Exilion
Transaction
Counsel to Exilion in respect of Exilion’s solar PV project in the municipality of Simo, Finland, with a planned nominal capacity of 70 MWp and an estimated annual production of 65,000 MWh. Once operational, the project will be one of the largest solar PV projects in Finland. Our team advised Exilion in respect of e.g. negotiating construction, supply, and services contracts.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Exilion
Parties:
Danske Bank, La Banque Postale, Neoen, Prokon
Transaction:
Counsel to Danske Bank and La Banque Postale in respect of matters of Finnish law in the project financing of a Finnish onshore wind farm portfolio consisting of the three onshore wind farms Björkliden, Lumivaara, and Storbötet, co-developed by Neoen and Prokon and currently under construction. These projects will have a combined capacity of approx. 202.5 MW.
Deal value:
Approx. EUR 220 million
Role:
Finnish Counsel to Danske Bank and La Banque Postale
Hannes Snellman has been engaged by the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus in the Pyhäjoki-Raahe and Närpiö offshore wind power development projects. The envisaged nominal capacity of the projects is 3,000 MW.
Parties:
United Bankers’ UB Timberland Fund (AIF), Taaleri Forest Fund III LP
Transaction:
United Bankers’ UB Timberland Fund (AIF) agreed to acquire Taaleri Forest Fund III LP. The forests managed by Taaleri Forest Fund III comprise 19 forest properties covering in total a surface area of approximately 7,650 hectares of which more than 6,400 hectares is productive forest land.
Deal value:
Value not public
Role:
Counsel to United Bankers’ UB Timberland Fund (AIF)
Parties
ib vogt, Helen
Transaction
ib vogt's disposal of 206 MWp solar PV project to Helen.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to ib vogt
Parties:
Metsähallitus, Vattenfall
Transaction:
Counsel to the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus in the joint venture entered into with Vattenfall concerning Finland’s first large-scale offshore wind farm. Our assignment, commenced in 2021, entailed all legal aspects of the structured sales process followed by the creation of the joint venture and the contractual framework steering the development.
Deal Value:
Value not public
Role:
Counsel to Metsähallitus
Parties
Gasgrid Finland Oy
Transaction
Counsel to Gasgrid Finland Oy in connecting Hamina LNG terminal to the Finnish natural gas transmission network
Deal value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Gasgrid Finland Oy
Parties
Stora Enso Oyj, UPM-Kymmene Group, Metsä Group, Sonoco-Alcore, other sellers (Sellers), Stena Recycling Oy (Buyer), Encore Ympäristöpalvelut Oy (Target)
Transaction
Sale of Encore Ympäristöpalvelut Oy to Stena Recycling Oy
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Stora Enso Oyj, UPM-Kymmene Group, Metsä Group, Sonoco-Alcore, and other sellers
Parties
Remeo Holding II Oy (buyer), Delete Finland Oy (seller), Delete Ympäristöpalvelut Oy (target)
Transaction
Counsel to Remeo in its acquisition of Delete Ympäristöpalvelut Oy, a Finland-based environmental and recycling services provider.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Remeo
Parties:
Veolia Services Suomi Oy, Metsä Fibre
Transaction:
Veolia Services Suomi Oy’s project to build a crude methanol processing plant in connection with Metsä Fibre's Äänekoski bioproduct mill plant in Äänekoski
Deal Value:
Value not public
Role:
Counsel to Veolia Services Suomi Oy
Parties:
Gasgrid Finland Oy, Excelerate Energy
Transaction:
Gasgrid Finland Oy's chartering of an LNG Floating Storage and Regasification Unit from Excelerate Energy.
Deal Value:
EUR 460 million
Role:
Counsel to Gasgrid Finland Oy
Hannes Snellman acts as counsel to Microsoft in Finland.
Parties
LähiTapiola Kiinteistövarainhoito Oy, Tapiola Yhteismetsä
Transaction
LähiTapiola Kiinteistövarainhoito Oy's establishment of the jointly owned forest Tapiola Yhteismetsä and the related service concept, which provides forest owners an opportunity to attach forest areas to the jointly owned forest, thereby receiving the benefits of professional, sustainable, and long-term forestry services as stakeholders of Tapiola Yhteismetsä.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to LähiTapiola Kiinteistövarainhoito Oy
Hannes Snellman has been engaged by the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus in the Korsnäs offshore wind power development project. The envisaged minimum nominal capacity of the project is 1300 MW, entailing 70–100 turbines with a capacity of 12–20 MW each.
Parties
BlackRock Real Assets (Buyer), Green Horizon Renewables a.s. and other minority investors (Sellers), Mikana portfolio (Target)
Transaction
BlackRock Real Assets’ acquisition of the Mikana portfolio, which consists of an existing operational project of 20 MW and four wind development projects with a capacity of 200 MW, from Green Horizon Renewables a.s. and other minority investors
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Green Horizon Renewables a.s. and other minority investors
Parties
Assemblin, Tom Allen Senera
Transaction
Counsel to Assemblin in its acquisition of Tom Allen Senera, a Finland-based systems supplier of energy solutions to properties.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Assemblin
Parties
Keliber Oy, Sweco
Transaction
Keliber signed an engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contract with Sweco in respect of a project, which comprises a concentrator plant and lithium mines in Kaustinen, Kokkola and Kruunupyy, and a lithium hydroxide plant in Kokkola.
Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Keliber Oy
Parties
Oy Linde Gas Ab (Buyer), Neste Markkinointi Oy (Seller), Neste’s cylinder gas business and stake in Oy Innogas Ab (Targets)
Transaction
Oy Linde Gas Ab’s acquisition of Neste Markkinointi Oy’s cylinder gas business and Neste Markkinointi Oy's stake in Oy Innogas Ab, a provider of LPG cylinder filling, requalification and logistics services.
Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Oy Linde Gas Ab
Parties
Remeo Oy
Transaction
Remeo Oy's construction project of a materials recovery facility.
Value
Approx. EUR 35 million
Role
Counsel to Remeo Oy
Parties
Mayr-Melnhof Cartonboard International GmbH, Kotkamills Group Oyj
Transaction
Mayr-Melnhof Cartonboard International GmbH's acquisition of Kotkamills Group Oyj
Deal Value
Approx. EUR 425 million
Role
Counsel to Mayr-Melnhof Cartonboard International GmbH
Counsel to LähiTuuli in the development and divestment of a pre-construction stage wind power project of Metsälamminkangas to OX2.
Parties
DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale
Transaction
DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale’s project financing of Project Piiparinmäki, the largest wind farm in Finland
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale
Parties
Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc. (Buyer), shareholders of Pro Farm Technologies Oy (Sellers), Pro Farm Technologies Oy (Target)
Transaction
Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc., an international leader in sustainable bioprotection and plant health solutions, acquired Pro Farm Technologies Oy, a Finnish agriculture technology company supplying nutrient and biostimulant technology and products
Deal Value
USD 31.8 million
Role
Counsel to Marrone Bio Innovations, Inc.
Parties
Peab AB (Buyer), YIT Corporation (Seller), YIT’s Nordic paving and mineral aggregates businesses (Targets)
Transaction
YIT’s sale of its Nordic paving and mineral aggregates businesses in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark to Peab
Deal Value
EUR 280 million
Role
Counsel to YIT Corporation
Parties
Mimir Invest (Buyer), Caverion (Seller), Project piping & tank business and the related Ylivieska workshop (Targets)
Transaction
Caverion’s sale of project piping & tank business and the related Ylivieska workshop of the Industrial Solutions division.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Caverion
Parties
Jarkir Oy (Seller), Partnera Oy (Buyer), Suomen Teollisuussijoitus Oy (Buyer), Uusioaines Oy (Target)
Transaction
Jarkir's sale of Uusioaines to Partnera and Tesi
Deal Value
EUR 19,8 million
Role
Counsel to Seller Jarkir Oy
Parties
Elementis plc (Buyer), Mondo Minerals B.V. (Target)
Transaction
A proposed acquisition of Mondo Minerals B.V. by Elementis plc
Deal Value
USD 600 million
Role
Counsel to Elementis plc
Parties
Metsähallitus (Seller), Enefit Green (Buyer), a JV of Ilmatar Windpower Oyj and Omnes Capital managed Capenergie 3 (Buyer)
Transaction
Metsähallitus' divestment of two pre-construction stage wind power projects with an aggregate output of approximately 300 megawatts. The projects were divested, respectively, to Enefit Green, a renewables subsidiary of the Estonian state-owned energy company Eesti Energia, and to a JV of Ilmatar Windpower Oyj and Omnes Capital managed Capenergie 3.
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Metsähallitus
Parties
Green Horizon Renewables (Buyer), Founders and certain other investors (Sellers), Winda Power (Target)
Transaction
Green Horizon Renewables’ acquisition of over 70% stake in Winda Power
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Green Horizon Renewables
Parties
SUSI Partners AG (Buyer), Ilmatar Windpower Plc (Seller), Tetrituuli Wind Farm (Target)
Transaction
SUSI Partners AG’s acquisition of Tetrituuli Wind Farm from Ilmatar Windpower Plc
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to SUSI Partners AG
Parties
Hartwall Capital Oy Ab (Buyer), SUEZ Suomi Oy (Target)
Transaction
Hartwall Capital Oy Ab's acquisition of SUEZ Suomi Oy, comprising the Finnish operations of SUEZ Group
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Hartwall Capital Oy Ab
Parties
Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation (Buyer), Maas Capital Renewables (Seller) and YARD ENERGY (Seller)
Transaction
Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation's acquisition of two wind farms in Finland from Maas Capital Renewables and YARD ENERGY
Deal Value
Value not public
Role
Counsel to Eurus Energy Holdings Corporation
Parties
Metsähallitus (Seller), Taaleri Plc private equity fund and Loiste Energia Oy (Buyers)
Transaction
Metsähallitus' divestment of wind farm project to Taaleri Plc private equity fund and Loiste Energia Oy
Deal Value
EUR 110 million
Role
Counsel to Metsähallitus
Parties
Veolia, Neste and Borealis
Transaction
A transaction creating a JV with Neste and Borealis to build a new combined heat and power plant and produce and supply steam and other utilities to Neste's refinery and Borealis' petrochemical plant in Porvoo, Finland
Deal Value
Approximately EUR 350 million
Role
Counsel to Veolia
Parties
Mondi Group (Buyer), Walki Group (Seller)
Transaction
Mondi Group's acquisition of Walki Group's extrusion coating plants located in Pietarsaari, Finland and Wroclaw, Poland
Deal Value
EUR 60 million
Role
Counsel to Mondi AG
Counsel to Finnish Wind Power Association in a regulatory assignment concerning the noise emissions caused by wind turbines.
Counsel to TuuliSaimaa Oy in a zoning dispute against the Finnish Military Forces regarding the construction of a wind farm in Eastern Finland.
Counsel to TuuliWatti Oy in permitting of several wind farms in Finland.
Counsel to a Finnish City in an administrative proceedings in relation to remediation liability of an landfill.
Counsel to a large Finnish energy production company in its dispute concerning the acceptable emission levels to the water course and environmental damages related thereto.
Counsel to a foreign mining company in assessing environmental obligations and liabilities resulting from possible shut-down of a mine in Finland.
Counsel to a Finnish hydropower plant owner in a dispute concerning the proposed amendments to the existing water permit and compensation related thereto.
Counsel to the Finnish Transport Authority in a dispute concerning environmental remediation requirements of a lake located in Southern Finland.
Counsel to the municipality of Siuntio in the amendment of its city plan concerning a shopping mall.
Counsel to Metsähallitus in its divestment of two pre-construction stage wind power projects (envisaged to comprise a total of 64 wind power plants with an aggregate output of approximately 166 megawatts) to a JV owned by Taaleritehtaan Tuulitehdas II Ky and Loiste Energia Oy.
Counsel to the City of Porvoo in the drafting of the building code of the municipality.
Rankings
- Recommended by clients and peers, Who’s Who Legal: Energy, 2024
- Recognised as Highly Regarded in Project Development, IFLR1000, 2024
- Leading Individual, Real Estate and Construction, Legal 500, 2024
- Ranked in Energy & Natural Resources in Chambers Europe, 2024
- "Klaus is a true expert within his field and great at finding solutions for versatile issues. He is also very nice to work with, because he is calm and easy-going.", IFLR1000, 2023
- "Working with Klaus Metsä-Simola really calms us down when a matter is turbulent.", Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe 2023
- "Expertise in Finnish legislation and the renewables industry, ability to combine legal framework with commercial considerations and market practices, very responsive attitude and focus on solving problems.", IFLR1000, 2022
- "One client comments: 'Klaus aims to find the commercially viable solution for the client.', Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe 2022
- “The ‘top-notch lawyer’ Klaus Metsä-Simola is an environmental expert who excels at handling wind power development projects with his impressive knowledge of domestic and international regulations.”, Who's Who Legal 2020
- 'Klaus is commended by clients for his "excellent technical knowledge, commercial awareness and great client service skills."', Energy & Natural Resources, Chambers Europe 2020
- Ranked as a Highly regarded lawyer in the 2020-2021 editions (Finland: Project development) of IFLR1000
- Ranked as a recognised practitioner in Energy & Natural Resources in the 2018 & 2019 editions of Chambers Europe
- Ranked among the best lawyers in the 2015, 2016 and 2017 editions (Helsinki: Environmental Law) of Best Lawyers®
- Leading practitioner, Who’s Who Legal: Environment (2014, 2015 and 2016).
Memberships and Positions of Trust
- Secretary of the IBA's Environment, Health and Safety Law (EHS) Committee
- Member of the Finnish Bar Association
- Member of the Finnish Society for Environmental Law
Education and Professional Background
- Hannes Snellman 2013-
- Borenius Attorneys at Law 2010-2013
- Ministry of the Environment 2009-2010
- State Environmental Administration 2004-2009
- University of Helsinki, Faculty of law 1999-2004
- Licentiate in Laws, University of Helsinki 2003
- Master of Laws, University of Helsinki 1999