Slovenske elektrarne v. Glawishnig (Austria)

Outcome: Successful settlement

Description: Slovenské Elektrárne, a.s. (SE), has successfully ended a long-lasting international court dispute aimed at the shutting down of units 1 and 2 of the nuclear power plant in Mochovce. In February 2008 the Austrian plaintiffs Mrs. Ingrid Galhaup and Mrs. Eva Glawischnig agreed to permanently suspend the proceedings. The case was managed by Marting Podolan, SE's General Counsel. The closure of the dispute helped to show that SE's nuclear reactors are safe, reliable and compliant with all international standards. In 1998, Mrs. Glawischnig, Austria"s Green party spokesperson and MP brought SE to court accusing the Mochovce nuclear power plant of having inadequate safety technology and being a threat to her and others living in Vienna, about 160 kilometers west of the plant. In July 2005 Vienna Land Court said there was no evidence on inadequate safety technology at Mochovce. After SE hired Martin Podolan in 2006, he chnage the strategy vis-a-vis the plaintiff by finding new evidence and argumnets. The plaintiffs were subseqeuntly backing down from their original positions. The case was finally settled at the begining of 2008 (SE paid no fee in exchange for settlement).