(MADRID) - Spanish energy group Iberdrola said Tuesday it had filed a new complaint with the European Commission over France's support for power giant EDF in its rumoured bid to win control of the company.

"Iberdrola condemns France in Brussels for giving state aid to EDF valued at more than 5.0 billion euros linked to pensions," the company said in a statement.

Iberdrola also complained to Brussels over EDF in late February.

Spain's second-largest power group argues that France contravenes European Union laws through its control of EDF and discourages any potential investor in the company.

The French government holds 85 percent of EDF, of which 70 percent is excluded from the stock market.

EDF has said it has been in contact with Spanish construction group ACS, the biggest shareholder in Iberdrola.

But last month the chairman of the Spanish utility said EDF would not be welcome as a shareholder in the firm, which is also the world's largest owner of wind-energy parks.

"It has been made clear that EDF is not welcome from a political, social, union, territorial or shareholder point of view," Ignacio Sanchez Galan said, charging that the French government "thinks France is for the French ... and everything else as well."

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