Germany Approves Controversial Franco-Russian Nuclear Project
German authorities have greenlit a joint venture between Framatome and Rosatom to produce nuclear fuel rods, despite security concerns and political opposition.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment announced on Wednesday that it has approved a disputed nuclear energy project between France and Russia. The planned joint venture involves a subsidiary of French company Framatome, ANF, and Russian state nuclear agency Rosatom to manufacture fuel rods for Russian-designed reactors. Production will take place at the Framatome plant in Lingen.
The permit application was submitted in March 2022, just weeks after Russia's renewed invasion of Ukraine. Although Lower Saxony's Environment Minister Christian Meyer repeatedly stated that business dealings with Russia's nuclear agency are wrong, the ministry noted it had no legal grounds to reject the application because Rosatom is not subject to EU sanctions.
The approval includes strict conditions: employees of Rosatom or Russian nuclear fuel manufacturer TVEL may enter the facility only in very limited cases and accompanied by appropriate inspection. The ministry emphasized that the permit can be reviewed if new risks are identified, especially in the area of national security.
The project has drawn sharp criticism. Bundestag member Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU) called the decision "dangerous to security" and urged the federal government to intervene. The Green Party warned that the project would allow Moscow to gain information about sensitive nuclear facilities in Germany.
Despite objections, the plant serves a practical purpose: supplying fuel for Soviet-designed nuclear power plants in former Eastern Bloc countries and Finland. Russia continues to control a significant portion of global uranium supplies.
