Arbitral Digest

Matter

Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd v Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of New South Wales [2025] NSWSC 610)

Elecnor and Clough’s electricity transmission joint venture dispute, with New South Wales proceedings concerning referral of claims to Singapore arbitration.

  • International commercial arbitration
  • Construction arbitration
  • Jurisdiction and arbitration agreements
Case no.
2024/467526
Seat
Singapore
Industry type
Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply

Procedural record

  1. 12 June 2025Australia

    12 June 2025Australia

    Decision of the Supreme Court of New South Wales in the case 2024/467526 dated 12 June 2025

    Supreme Court of New South Wales

    Case no.
    2024/467526
    Citation
    [2025] NSWSC 610
    Decision summary
    The Supreme Court of New South Wales stayed the defendants' cross-claim concerning contribution to calls on project security because it was capable of arbitration under the Singapore-seated arbitration clause in the joint venture deed. The court declined to stay Elecnor's principal claims, which did not involve a matter capable of settlement by arbitration.

    Participants

    Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd
    Representative
    J J Hutton SC (For: Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd)
    Representative
    J K Kennedy (For: Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd)
    Representative
    Gilbert + Tobin (For: Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd)
    Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd
    Representative
    J K Taylor SC (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    T O'Brien (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    D P Farinha (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    Arnold Bloch Leibler (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Salvatore Algeri
    Representative
    J K Taylor SC (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    T O'Brien (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    D P Farinha (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    Arnold Bloch Leibler (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    David Orr
    Representative
    J K Taylor SC (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    T O'Brien (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    D P Farinha (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Representative
    Arnold Bloch Leibler (For: Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd · Salvatore Algeri · David Orr)
    Supreme Court of New South Wales
    Judge
    Stevenson J

    Authorities cited

    46
    • Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW)
      statute
    • Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (330 UNTS 3)
      statute
    • Corporations Act 2001 (Cth)
      statute
    • International Arbitration Act 1974 (Cth)
      statute
    • UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration
      model-law
    • ABB Power Plants Ltd v Electricity Commission of New South Wales t/as Pacific Power (Supreme Court (NSW), Giles J, 5 August 1994, unreported, BC9402904)
      case-law
    • ABB Power Plants Ltd v Electricity Commission of New South Wales t/as Pacific Power ((1995) 35 NSWLR 596)
      case-law
    • ACD Tridon v Tridon Australia ([2002] NSWSC 896)
      case-law
    • Anzen Ltd v Hermes One Ltd ([2016] UKPC 1)
      case-law
    • Australian Broadcasting Commission v Australasian Performing Right Association Ltd ((1973) 129 CLR 99; [1973] HCA 36)
      case-law
    • Bridge Wholesale Acceptance Corporation (Aust) Ltd v Burnard ((1992) 27 NSWLR 415)
      case-law
    • Broken Hill City Council v Unique Urban Built Pty Ltd ([2018] NSWSC 825)
      case-law
    • Cape Lambert Resources Ltd v MCC Australia Sanjin Mining Pty Ltd ([2013] WASCA 66)
      case-law
    • Channel Tunnel Group Ltd v Balfour Beatty Construction Ltd ([1992] QB 656)
      case-law
    • Comandate Marine Corporation v Pan Australia Shipping Pty Ltd ((2006) 157 FCR 45; [2006] FCAFC 192)
      case-law
    • Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles S.A. v CPB Contractors Pty Limited ([2022] NSWSC 1264)
      case-law
    • Cook v Cook ((1986) 162 CLR 376; [1986] HCA 73)
      case-law
    • CPB Contractors Pty Ltd v Celsus Pty Ltd ([2017] FCA 1620)
      case-law
    • Dyna-Jet Pte Ltd v Wilson Taylor Asia Pacific Pte Ltd ([2016] SGHC 238)
      case-law
    • Electricity Generation Corporation v Woodside Energy Ltd ((2014) 251 CLR 640; [2014] HCA 7)
      case-law
    • Ferris v Plaister; Stap v Grey ((1994) 34 NSWLR 474)
      case-law
    • Fitzpatrick v Emerald Grain Pty Ltd ([2017] WASC 206)
      case-law
    • Flint Ink NZ Ltd v Huhtamaki Australia Pty Ltd ((2014) 289 FLR 30; (2014) 44 VR 64; [2014] VSCA 166)
      case-law
    • Francis Travel Marketing Pty Ltd v Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd ((1996) 39 NSWLR 160)
      case-law
    • Franklins Pty Ltd v Metcash Trading Ltd ((2009) 76 NSWLR 603; [2009] NSWCA 407)
      case-law
    • Inghams Enterprises Pty Limited v Hannigan ([2020] NSWCA 82)
      case-law
    • John Holland Pty Limited v Kellogg Brown & Root Pty Ltd ([2015] NSWSC 451)
      case-law
    • Koompahtoo Local Aboriginal Land Council v Sanpine Pty Ltd ((2007) 233 CLR 115; [2007] HCA 61)
      case-law
    • Larkden Pty Ltd v Lloyd Energy Systems Pty Limited ([2011] NSWSC 268)
      case-law
    • Lepcanfin Pty Ltd v Lepfin Pty Ltd ((2020) 102 NSWLR 627; [2020] NSWCA 155)
      case-law
    • Mansfield (Liquidator) v Fortrust International Pty Ltd, in the matter of Palladium Investments International Pty Ltd (in liq) ([2023] FCA 350)
      case-law
    • Mount Bruce Mining Pty Ltd v Wright Prospecting Pty Ltd ((2015) 256 CLR 104; [2015] HCA 37)
      case-law
    • New Cap Reinsurance Corporation Ltd v A E Grant ([2009] NSWSC 662)
      case-law
    • PMT Partners Pty Ltd (In Liq) v Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service ((1995) 184 CLR 301; [1995] HCA 36)
      case-law
    • Recyclers of Australia Pty Ltd v Hettinga Equipment Inc ((2000) 100 FCR 420; [2000] FCA 547)
      case-law
    • Rinehart v Hancock Prospecting Pty Ltd ((2019) 267 CLR 514; [2019] HCA 13)
      case-law
    • Siam Steel International Plc v Compass (Australia) Pty Ltd ([2014] WASC 415)
      case-law
    • Siemens Limited v Origin Energy Uranquinty Power Pty Ltd ((2011) 80 NSWLR 398; [2011] NSWSC 195)
      case-law
    • Siracusa v Siracusa ([2022] ACTSC 94)
      case-law
    • Tanning Research Laboratories Inc v O'Brien ((1990) 169 CLR 332; [1990] HCA 8)
      case-law
    • WCX M4-M5 Link AT Pty Ltd v Acciona Infrastructure Projects Australia Pty Ltd (No 2) ([2022] NSWSC 505)
      case-law
    • WDR Delaware Corporation v Hydrox Holdings Pty Ltd ((2016) 245 FCR 452; [2016] FCA 1164)
      case-law
    • Wilkie v Gordian Runoff Ltd ((2005) 221 CLR 522; [2005] HCA 17)
      case-law
    • Zhang v Shanghai Wool and Jute Textile Co Ltd ((2006) 201 FLR 178; [2006] VSCA 133)
      case-law
    • G B Born, International Commercial Arbitration (3rd ed, 2021, Wolters Kluwer)
      academic
    • P Herzfeld and T Prince, Interpretation (3rd ed, 2024, Thomson Reuters)
      academic

Matter record

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Elecnor Australia Pty Ltd v Clough Projects Australia Pty Ltd (Supreme Court of New South Wales [2025] NSWSC 610) · Matter