Languages

Finnish, Swedish, English

A woman with long brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black blazer over a dark top, with one hand in her pocket, standing in front of a teal background.

Saara Järvelä

Associate Real Assets

A woman with long brown hair and glasses smiles at the camera. She is wearing a black blazer over a dark top, with one hand in her pocket, standing in front of a teal background.

Languages

Finnish, Swedish, English

Saara advises clients in our Real Assets practice, which is a multi-disciplinary group of experienced lawyers whose expertise cuts across energy, infrastructure, real estate, construction, environment, and projects.

Saara specialises in projects particularly within the energy and environment sectors.

Selected References

Parties:

UPM-Kymmene Corporation, Sappi Limited

Transaction:

Hannes Snellman is advising UPM-Kymmene Corporation (UPM) in establishing a joint venture to combine UPM’s graphic paper business and Sappi Limited’s graphic paper business in Europe with a combined enterprise value of the respective businesses of €1,420 million, excluding the value of expected synergy benefits. The joint venture is to include entire UPM Communication Papers business, including eight UPM Communication Papers’ paper mills at Kymi, Rauma and Jämsänkoski in Finland; Nordland, Augsburg, Schongau in Germany; UPM Caledonian paper mill in the UK, and Blandin paper mill in the USA.

The contemplated joint venture represents a decisive response to the structural changes in the European graphic paper industry, offering a path to strengthen the resilience of the industry and provide long-term commitment and supply security to graphic paper customers.

The complex, multi-jurisdictional transaction with agreements covering both JV structure, governance, carve-out and commercial arrangements required close-knit cooperation with broad UPM team and across all advisors.

Value:

Combined enterprise value of the respective businesses of EUR 1,420 million

Role:

Counsel to UPM-Kymmene Corporation

Contacts

Parties:

Helios Nordic Energy AB (Seller), international independent power producers (IPPs) and infrastructure funds (Buyer)

Transaction:

Hannes Snellman has recently advised Helios Nordic Energy AB on the disposal of a 125 MW / 250 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Finland, bringing the total volume of BESS projects where Hannes Snellman has advised Helios Nordic Energy AB in the Finnish market to more than 550 MW / 1,100 MWh over the past year. The respective transactions, comprising six separate projects, have been completed with a mix of international independent power producers (IPPs) and infrastructure funds. All buyers remain undisclosed.

Deal value:

Not public

Role:

Counsel to Helios Nordic Energy AB

Contacts

Parties:

OX2

Transaction:

Hannes Snellman Advised OX2 in the construction, development, offtake, and Finnish law aspects of the project financing of two energy storage facilities with a combined capacity of 235 MW/470 MWh

The energy storage facilities will be co-located with the Kannisto wind farm in Halsua and the Korkeamaa wind farm in Soini. Both energy storage facilities will be completed in 2028. The projects represent OX2's first energy storage additions to its Finnish IPP portfolio, and OX2 has secured a long-term flexible purchase agreement with Norwegian power producer Statkraft for the operation and optimisation of both storage facilities. OX2 has also secured a long-term project financing package with KfW IPEX-Bank, NatWest, Nordea, and SEB through an extension of the commitments already made towards the Kannisto, Korkeamaa, and Salo-Ylikoski wind power projects. The energy storage facilities will remain under OX2's ownership after completion.

Hannes Snellman advised OX2 in respect of the BESS supply agreements and long term service agreements, balance of plant agreements, optimisation agreements, due diligence as well as Finnish law aspects of the project financing.

Value:

Not public

Role:

Counsel to OX2

Contacts

Parties:

Metsähallitus, Nordic Generation

Transaction:

Hannes Snellman advised Finnish State enterprise Metsähallitus on the disposal of rights to three projects located in Simo, Kajaani, and Pyhäntä with a total envisaged nominal capacity of 800 MW to Nordic Generation. Nordic Generation is backed by the Octopus Energy Renewable Infrastructure Trust plc (ORIT) and Sky — two funds managed by Octopus Energy Generation, one of Europe’s leading investors in renewable energy projects.

Value:

Not public

Role:

Counsel to Metsähallitus

Contacts

Hannes Snellman advised OX2 in respect of the construction contracts, PPA, development, due diligence as well as Finnish law aspects of the project financing.

Contacts

Memberships and Positions of Trust

  • Member of the Finnish Society for Environmental Law

Professional Background

  • Associate, Hannes Snellman, 2026-

Education

  • Master of Laws, University of Helsinki, 2025