HONG KONG (AP) — A Chinese sea captain of a Hong Kong-flagged vessel accused of damaging undersea cables and a gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea in 2023 pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a Hong Kong court.
Wan Wenguo, captain of the Newnew Polar Bear container ship, appeared at a Hong Kong magistrate court and pleaded not guilty to one count of criminal damage. He also pleaded not guilty to two separate charges relating to violations of marine safety requirements for his vessel.
Cases of critical undersea cable and gas pipelines sabotaged in the Baltic Sea since Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 have raised security concerns among governments.
Finnish authorities previously determined the Newnew Polar Bear vessel was responsible for damaging the Balticconnector gas pipeline, which connects Finland and Estonia, in October 2023. Finland also sought China’s cooperation in the investigation.
A charge sheet seen by The Associated Press accused Wan, who is in his 40s, of damaging a natural gas pipeline and submarine telecom cables between Finland and Estonia “without lawful excuse” and said he was “reckless as to whether such property would be damaged.”
The case was heard at a Hong Kong court because the vessel was registered there. Around 18 witnesses could be called to testify, the court heard Wednesday.
FILE - Finnish Coast Guard stops a small boat which tried to reach the Cook Islands-registered oil tanker Eagle S anchored near the Kilpilahti port in Porvoo, on the Gulf of Finland, on Dec. 30, 2024. (Jussi Nukari/Lehtikuva via AP, File)
YLÖJÄRVI, Finland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 11, 2026--
Merus Power Oyj has signed a battery energy storage deal worth approximately 13 million euros with Neve Oy. The 30 MW/80 MWh facility is designed to operate in extremely cold conditions and will be delivered to Rovaniemi at the end of 2026. The companies have also agreed on comprehensive operations and maintenance services for the energy storage facility.
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The energy storage facility is engineered to operate reliably in Arctic conditions, withstanding temperatures down to –50 °C, heavy snowfall, and ice. The system uses grid forming technology that supports the inertia of the electricity grid and strengthens the stability of the electricity system. Merus Power delivered the first grid forming energy storage facilities in the Nordic countries to Valkeakoski and Lappeenranta last year.
Merus Power is responsible for the manufacture, installation, and testing of the BESS. The system is based on advanced technology developed by Merus Power in Finland and the company's own software, which controls and operates the BESS as part of the critical electricity infrastructure. Finnish software development, quality, and cybersecurity features support the system's operational reliability and controllability even in exceptional situations and crises.
Neve Oy is a Lapland-based, multi-sector group owned by the city of Rovaniemi. The company is responsible for electricity transmission, electricity and district heating production, district heating networks and services, water supply, fiber optics, and other energy and infrastructure services in the demanding conditions of the north. The energy storage facility to be delivered will enable participation in several different electricity markets, supporting the flexibility of the electricity grid and the operational reliability of the energy system in demanding conditions.
“Arctic conditions place exceptional requirements on electrical systems. Merus Power's solution responds to these challenges and supports our strategic goal of developing reliable and sustainable energy solutions for the demanding conditions of Lapland,” says Kristian Gullsten, CEO of Neve Oy.
“Merus Power’s energy storage solutions have been developed for demanding electricity grid environments where performance, reliability, and high availability are critical factors. We are proud that our modular solutions can be tailored to our customers' needs. With our technological expertise, we can support Neve Oy in developing the flexibility and reliability of its energy system,” comments Kari Tuomala, CEO of Merus Power.
The deal strengthens Merus Power's position as a supplier of demanding energy storage solutions both in the Nordic countries and internationally.
Merus Power
Merus Power is a Finnish technology company driving the sustainable energy transition. We design and produce innovative energy storages, power quality solutions and services for the needs of renewable energy and industry. Through our scalable technology, we facilitate the growth of renewable energy in electricitygrids and improve the energy efficiency of society.
Our net sales in 2025 were EUR 54.6 million and our stock’s trading symbol on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Finland is MERUS.
Merus Power delivered the first grid forming battery energy storage systems in the Nordics last year. The grid forming BESS to be deployed in Lapland is also designed to withstand extreme Arctic conditions.
