Hinkley Point: legal opinion commissioned by Greenpeace says EC likely to block any state aid to EDF
The European Commission would very likely block any financial assistance from the French government to Electricite de France [EPA: EDF] to help with the French energy company’s proposed construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in the UK, the Financial Times reported.
The newspaper cited a legal opinion from the law firm Monckton Chambers, which was commissioned by the environmental activist group Greenpeace and Ecotricity, an alternative energy company.
The government of France is discussing the potential financial aid for EDF this week, the article said, noting that EDF CEO Jean-Bernard Levy has indicated that new state aid would be required before the company can make a final decision on whether to proceed with the GBP 18bn (EUR 22.84bn) nuclear project.
Monckton Chambers said all options for the French government to assist EDF financially would be deemed to be state aid, which would be subject to an EC review. Any argument that such state aid would be compatible with the European Union’s internal market would be difficult to make, the barristers said.
EDF is to hold a board meeting in Paris today, 22 April, the item said. However, people close to the company said they believe the company is unlikely to make a final decision on Hinkley Point at the meeting, according to the newspaper.
The EC and EDF did not reply when asked for comment, the article said.