The German federal government appears to be backing a controversial project that would involve the construction of a nuclear fuel‑rod assembly plant on German soil, even though Russian participation is involved. The claim comes from Politico, which cites two individuals familiar with the government’s assessment.
According to the report, the government wants to approve the project in Lingen, Lower Saxony, through a legal assessment that includes certain conditions. The venture would see the French nuclear company Framatome and its subsidiary Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF) working with the Russian state‑owned enterprise Rosatom to produce hexagonal fuel rods of Russian design. ANF has already requested a modification of its manufacturing facility in 2022 to allow the necessary re‑tooling.
A final decision rests with the Lower Saxony Ministry of Environment. If approved, ANF would manufacture the hexagonal fuel rods at the Lingen site, while Rosatom’s TVEL subsidiary would supply equipment, expertise, and the required licenses. The Ministry had reportedly awaited assessments from Berlin before it could make a conclusive ruling, and the unified federal assessment-drawing on the Chancellor’s Office and the Interior Ministry-has now propelled the permitting process forward.
When queried about the assessment, the federal environment ministry did not comment within the statutory time limit. Both the Chancellor’s Office and the Interior Ministry merely referred questions back to the environment ministry. The Lower Saxony ministry, in turn, stated it generally does not comment on ongoing procedures, the length of such processes, or specific assessments. The positions of state environment minister Christian Meyer are therefore already clear.
In a statement to Politico in December, Meyer warned that Germany had previously opened a backdoor for Gazprom in the Rehden gas‑storage facility, which was exploited during the gas crisis when Putin cut supplies. He added that the country now faces a similar risk if it allows Rosatom access to sensitive nuclear technology for fuel‑rod production in Lingen.