Austrians' legal challenge not robust, says EDF Energy

The nuclear power station is due to be up and running by 2023

The developers behind the nuclear power station in Somerset have said they are unconcerned over a planned legal challenge by the Austrian government.

The Austrians have said a deal by the UK government to guarantee the price of electricity from the nuclear plant breaches European rules on state aid.

The Austrian government has confirmed it will file a formal complaint in the next few days.

Last October, the European Commission said the deal was within EU rules.

'Basic logic'

A source familiar with the case has also told the AFP news agency the complaint would "probably not be filed until Wednesday".

EU member Austria has no nuclear power stations.

Previously, Austria's Deputy Chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner said that "subsidising a technology which has been around for several decades, and is unprofitable once you take into account all the costs, goes against the basic logic of European law regarding state aid".

But EDF has described the subsidy deal for Hinkley Point C in place as "fair and balanced".

He added: "They were approved by the European Commission following a robust and lengthy investigation.

A spokesman for the Department for Energy and Climate Change [DECC] has said: "We are confident that the European Commission's State aid decision on Hinkley Point C is legally robust and have no reason to believe that Austria will submit a challenge of any merit."

Developers EDF Energy has still not made the final investment decision to build the plant.

The power station is due to be up and running by 2023.

The Austrian government has confirmed it will file legal challenge this week.

A government spokesman said: "Nuclear energy is dangerous, expensive and not competitive in a free market.

"Atomic energy is based on an old technology which should not be supported in accordance with the European Union's strategy on renewable energies."