In brief
Lower Saxony's environment ministry approved ANF's licence on 22 July 2026, with conditions barring Rosatom and TVEL employees from the Lingen site and requiring external security audits of Russian equipment and fuel rods.
The federal environment ministry stated it lacks legal grounds under nuclear law to block the project and called for EU-wide sanctions on Russia's nuclear sector, noting that a majority of member states has so far opposed such measures.
Framatome said the decision 'strengthens European energy security, supports industrial sovereignty' and helps operators of Russian-designed reactors diversify away from direct Russian purchases until its own technology is ready.
The application was filed in March 2022, just after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and remained blocked for over four years before a new safety evaluation helped unblock the dossier, according to Politico.
- March 2022ANF files application to produce Russian-type fuel at Lingen with Rosatom
- 2022–2026Application blocked amid political pressure and Greens opposition
- 2026New safety evaluation conducted, addressing Russian involvement risks
- 22 July 2026Lower Saxony grants approval with conditions including Rosatom staff ban
Approval after years of deadlock
On 22 July 2026, the environment ministry of Lower Saxony granted Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), a subsidiary of French nuclear firm Framatome, permission to produce nuclear fuel rods at its Lingen plant in cooperation with Russian state-owned companies TVEL and Rosatom. The application had been filed in March 2022, just after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and had been blocked for over four years amid intense political scrutiny. The project aims to manufacture fuel elements compatible with Soviet- and Russian-designed reactors still operating in Central and Eastern Europe.
Security conditions attached
The licence comes with strict conditions to address national security fears. Rosatom and TVEL employees are banned from entering the Lingen facility. External security audits will be required for equipment and fuel rods arriving from Russia. Lower Saxony's environment minister Christian Meyer said the approval was granted because federal authorities had confirmed there was no legal basis to refuse it under nuclear law. The ministry added that if new risks emerge, particularly regarding national security, the authorisation could be re-examined.
Berlin's legal bind and push for EU sanctions
The German federal environment ministry acknowledged the political sensitivity, stating that Russia is waging a "war of aggression contrary to international law" and considers the EU, and Germany in particular, as adversaries. Yet it insisted that nuclear law does not provide grounds to block the project.
“The appropriate instrument to address this, however, is not nuclear law, but rather EU-wide sanctions, including those in the nuclear sector.”
The ministry noted that a majority of EU member states has so far not supported such sanctions, and pledged to continue advocating for them.
Framatome's strategic rationale
Framatome welcomed the decision, framing it as a step toward reducing European dependence on direct Russian fuel supplies.
“This decision strengthens European energy security, supports industrial sovereignty and reaffirms our commitment to providing safe and diversified fuel supply solutions to nuclear operators across Europe.”
The French firm has argued that the collaboration is an interim measure to help operators of Russian-designed reactors diversify away from Moscow while it develops its own production technology.
Political pressure and next steps
The dossier faced strong opposition from Germany's Green party and other critics who view any nuclear cooperation with Russia as incompatible with the security environment. According to Politico, a new safety evaluation addressing Russian involvement proved decisive in unblocking the file. French president Emmanuel Macron discussed the matter with German politician Friedrich Merz, illustrating the high-level political attention the project attracted. With no EU sanctions on the Russian nuclear sector in place, the Lingen plant is now set to begin production under the approved conditions, though Berlin has warned that the licence could be revisited if security risks materialise.