German State Allows Cooperation with Rosatom on Nuclear Fuel Production

Authorities in the German state of Lower Saxony have granted permission to Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), a subsidiary of French conglomerate Framatome, to produce nuclear fuel assemblies in cooperation with Russia's state corporation Rosatom. The production is to take place at the Lingen plant.

ANF submitted the application back in 2022. The project involves the manufacture of hexagonal fuel assemblies, which are used exclusively in Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. Such plants continue to operate in several Eastern European countries and Finland.

The decision has drawn sharp criticism. Germany's Federal Ministry for the Environment expressed a critical view of cooperating with the Russian state corporation, stating that the appropriate tool for responding to Russian hybrid attacks would be EU sanctions, not nuclear law. Lower Saxony's Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) had previously called such a move "fundamentally wrong."

Civic initiatives and environmental organizations have also opposed the plan. Particular concern arises from the need for Russian experts to be involved in the production process, raising fears for national and European security. The state ministry in Hanover emphasized that the permit could be revised if new risks emerge, especially regarding national security.

The approval comes amid repeated calls from Ukrainian and European officials for the EU to impose sanctions on Rosatom. In mid-July, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha discussed further sanctions against Russia with European colleagues, including restrictions on Rosatom and Roscosmos, disconnecting Gazprombank from SWIFT, and banning transport systems involved in Russian LNG supplies. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has also advocated for new sanctions covering Russia's energy sector, including Rosatom.