MEPs react to Austrian Hinkley Point complaints

MEPs have been quick to respond to news that Austria plans to take legal action against the Commission over  the UK's proposed subsidy regime for a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point.

The argument concerning the construction of two nuclear reactors in the UK, at Hinkley Point in Somerset, has moved to the next round with news that the Austrian government intends to submit a formal complaint to the European Court of Justice on the UK government’s plan to finance the reactors with state subsidies. The Austrian government considers this to be unlawful state aid and a distortion of competition

The Austrian government will lodge a formal complaint with the ECJ  on Monday (22 June) and it is unconfirmed but likely that the Luxembourg government will support the case.

Scottish MEP Alyn Smith and SNP Westminster Energy Spokesperson Callum McCaig MP welcomed the announcement.

Smith said: "The UK government's nuclear obsession is bad for taxpayers, bad for consumers and bad for Scotland. This old expensive dangerous technology is simply not fit for purpose, especially when Scotland is blessed with such abundant natural resources we are in the process of turning to energy production. Scotland can be Europe's clean green powerhouse but in the initial phases the investment must be underpinned by certainty of the subsidy regime.

"I spent the best part of ten years on the European Parliament's Energy committee working to highlight the benefits of renewables and interconnected EU markets, the UK never once played ball. Prior to our independence referendum I took the view that such decisions were a matter for the UK, but so long as Scotland remains part of the UK then these are our taxes too.

"The UK seeking to favour nuclear at our expense is bad news, and as far as I can see in breach of EU law – it is a shockingly bad deal for Scottish and UK taxpayers, and I do not want to see Scottish taxes squandered in this way when we could be supporting the energy technologies of the future, in Scotland. The numbers involved in this project are eye-watering, with some €31.2billion just to build the thing. This is the blankest of blank cheques."

Further comment came from Greens/EFA MEP Molly Scott Cato who welcomes the news, saying: “The Austrian government recognizes that the European Commission is in breach of its own rules on state aid and this cannot be left unchallenged. This deal would waste vast sums of public money on a dated and dangerous technology, when we should instead be promoting a safe and sustainable energy future for Europe.

"The south-west of England has some of the best renewable energy resources in Europe, and the region is capable of producing in excess of 100% of its energy needs through renewables alone, creating around 122,000 jobs in the process.

"Yet the focus on Hinkley means spare grid capacity is being earmarked for nuclear. This is undermining the ability of renewable energy companies to develop alternative sources of electricity generation by denying them access to the grid capacity they require.”

Greens/EFA Co-President Rebecca Harms said: “The Austrian government is right - the European Commission has no right to be meddling on the European energy market through the use of such funds. Subsidies for nuclear zombies such as the French Areva group are economically absurd and dangerous. Without generous amounts of state aid, the high-security technology of the atom is no longer viable. The nuclear industry is clearly losing out to competition from renewable energy sources.

"Already today, wind and solar power are far cheaper than nuclear power. The EU’s energy transition can only be possible if we promote renewables and energy efficiency rather than backing an outdated and dangerous technology.”

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