Germany clears nuclear site despite Russian ties

Germany has approved a production line in Lingen that will rely on Russian licences, equipment and components to supply Soviet-designed nuclear reactors across Europe. Although the operating permit introduces strict safeguards against espionage and cyber threats, it preserves a direct role for TVEL, the fuel subsidiary of Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom.

The state of Lower Saxony issued the licence on 22 July 2026 to Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), the German subsidiary of the French nuclear company Framatome. The approval covers the manufacture of hexagonal fuel assemblies for VVER reactors. Orders will pass through European Hexagonal Fuels, a French joint venture in which Framatome holds a 75 per cent stake and TVEL owns the remaining 25 per cent. Under this partnership, TVEL provides the required licence, technical expertise, machinery and components. ANF will retain full control over the plant’s daily operations.

Officials in Berlin concluded that Germany’s Atomic Energy Act provided no legal grounds to reject the application once the risks of espionage, sabotage and cyber threats were addressed through specific conditions. Acting under federal supervision, authorities in Lower Saxony were bound by this assessment. According to the federal environment ministry, enforcing a political ban would require European Union sanctions, a measure that currently lacks majority support.

To alleviate security concerns, TVEL and Rosatom personnel are generally barred from the Lingen site. Any hardware and software supplied by Russia must undergo independent verification and remain entirely isolated from the broader factory network. Russian staff are also strictly prohibited from accessing ANF’s IT systems. All Russian-made gadolinium fuel rods will face mandatory 100 per cent scanner inspections governed by a four-eyes rule. In addition, facility employees must receive recurring training on counter-espionage and sabotage prevention.

Framatome describes the arrangement as an interim bridge away from direct Russian purchases. A fully European VVER fuel is being developed separately. Lead assemblies for this alternative are targeted from 2028, with regular deliveries potentially beginning in the early 2030s. The permit was issued following approximately 11,000 public objections and a three-day hearing in 2024. Opponents have a one-month window to challenge the decision, and the environmental organisation BUND says it is examining legal action.