Lower Saxony has approved the production of fuel assemblies with Rosatom's participation
The Lower Saxony government has approved the production of fuel assemblies for Soviet-style nuclear power plants at a plant in Lingen. The project involves a partnership between Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF) and the Russian state-owned corporation Rosatom, based in the aggressor state of the Russian Federation, according to Ukrainska Pravda, citing European Pravda and Euronews.
ANF is a subsidiary of the French conglomerate Framatome. The company submitted its application to produce fuel assemblies back in 2022. These are hexagonal fuel assemblies used exclusively in Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. Such plants are still in operation in several Eastern European countries and in Finland.
The Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment stated that it approved ANF’s application following comprehensive reviews and consultations with federal agencies. The ministry also noted that the permit could be revised if new risks emerge, particularly those related to national security.
The cooperation with Rosatom has drawn criticism in Germany, particularly from civic groups and environmental organizations. Lower Saxony’s Environment Minister Christian Meyer previously called the decision “fundamentally wrong.”
The Federal Ministry for the Environment has also taken a critical view of the cooperation with the Russian state-owned corporation and stated that the appropriate response should be EU-wide sanctions extended to the nuclear sector. The production of fuel requires the involvement of Russian experts, which heightens security concerns. The German federal government accuses the Kremlin of orchestrating hybrid attacks against Germany using sabotage, espionage, and fake news.
