Slovak Nuclear Plant Director Warns He Would Resign if State Takes Majority Ownership

The head of Slovenské elektrárne, Slovakia's dominant electricity producer, has warned he would leave his post if the Slovak state were to acquire a majority stake in the company, signaling deep tensions over the future ownership structure of the country's largest energy firm. The statement came as Slovenské elektrárne marked a major milestone last month, formally announcing the loading of nuclear fuel into the fourth reactor at the Mochovce nuclear power plant in southwestern Slovakia — a ceremony symbolizing the near-completion of one of Europe's most delayed and costly energy infrastructure projects. The decision to complete the two additional reactors at Mochovce was made in 2008, with the first unit originally scheduled to come online within four years and at a total cost of 2.8 billion euros. Both timelines and budgets were dramatically exceeded, with final costs running far higher than initially projected. The Mochovce expansion has been a politically and financially contentious project for over a decade. Slovenské elektrárne is currently majority-owned by the Italian energy group Enel, with the Slovak state holding a minority share. The prospect of state renationalization has been discussed in Slovak political circles, particularly under the current government led by Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose Smer-SD party has shown interest in greater state control over strategic industries. The director's public warning signals that a shift in ownership could trigger significant management upheaval at the company at a critical moment, just as the long-delayed plant nears full operational status.