Germany greenlights Russian-linked nuclear fuel production in Lingen despite political outcry
Lower Saxony's environment ministry issued the permit on 22 July 2026, with strict security conditions, but the minister himself called the cooperation 'fundamentally wrong'.
The permit
On 22 July 2026, Lower Saxony's environment ministry granted Advanced Nuclear Fuels GmbH (ANF) a permit to expand its Lingen plant to produce hexagonal fuel elements for VVER pressurized water reactors of Russian design. The production will use technology, licenses, and machinery from TVEL, a subsidiary of the Russian state nuclear corporation Rosatom. ANF, a subsidiary of France's Framatome, had submitted the application in 2022. Originally, a joint venture between Framatome and TVEL was planned in Germany, but after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the cooperation was relocated to France. The permit allows the factory to supply nuclear power plants in Central and Eastern Europe that rely on Soviet-era reactor types.
- ANF submits application to produce VVER fuel elements with Russian technology.
- Lower Saxony grants permit with strict security conditions.
Political backlash
The decision drew immediate and sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. Lower Saxony's environment minister Christian Meyer, a Green party member who was responsible for issuing the permit, said he considered the cooperation "fundamentally wrong." He argued that dependencies on Russia must be reduced, especially in the sensitive nuclear sector, and noted that US-made fuel elements are now available for VVER reactors.
I consider it fundamentally wrong to enter into such a cooperation with Russia.
Green parliamentary group leader Britta Haßelmann called the move "irresponsible," arguing it would make Germany and Europe dependent, blackmailable, and fill Putin's war chest. CDU foreign policy expert Roderich Kiesewetter went further, telling Politico that the permit could "almost only be assessed as a successful Russian influence operation or unbelievable irresponsibility" and demanded it be reversed.
This decision endangers security and must be reversed.
Legal bind
Despite his opposition, Meyer stressed that he was bound by federal atomic law. The federal environment ministry had assessed the application and concluded that potential risks from espionage or sabotage were not sufficient to legally refuse the permit. A ministry spokesman said the decision was made "according to law and order," and that the appropriate tool to address concerns would be EU-wide sanctions on the nuclear sector, not the Atomic Energy Act. The ministry had also commissioned a legal opinion and emphasized that the permit procedure was conducted with great care. The permit document runs to 148 pages and is not yet legally binding; it can be challenged in court.
Security conditions
The permit includes strict conditions aimed at mitigating security risks. Employees of TVEL and Rosatom are barred from entering the Lingen facility. Any Russian-supplied machinery and software must be externally inspected and kept separate from the plant's other IT systems. Fuel rods delivered from Russia are to be fully checked for tampering. These measures were designed to address fears of espionage and sabotage that have been raised by intelligence services and citizen initiatives.
What's next
The permit's opponents, including environmental groups and citizen initiatives, have signaled they will explore legal avenues to block the project. Meyer himself pointed to the possibility of a court challenge. Meanwhile, the federal government has noted that the cooperation was also discussed between Chancellor Merz and French President Macron, indicating the issue has reached the highest political levels. The controversy is likely to intensify as the plant moves toward production, with critics arguing that any nuclear business with Russia undermines European security while the war in Ukraine continues.
