Germany's Lower Saxony licenses ANF to produce nuclear fuel assemblies using Russian technology in Lingen

Published Jul 24, 09:00 AM UTC

On 22 July 2026, the German state of Lower Saxony issued a license to Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), a subsidiary of France's Framatome, to manufacture hexagonal fuel assemblies for Soviet-designed VVER reactors at a facility in Lingen. The production line will rely on licenses, equipment, and components from TVEL, the fuel subsidiary of Russia's state nuclear corporation Rosatom. Berlin concluded that Germany's Atomic Energy Act provided no legal grounds to reject the application once espionage, sabotage, and cyber threats were addressed through strict conditions. These include barring TVEL and Rosatom personnel from the site, isolating Russian-supplied hardware and software from the broader network, mandatory 100% scanner inspections of Russian-made fuel rods under a four-eyes rule, and recurring counter-espionage training for employees. Framatome describes the arrangement as an interim bridge away from direct Russian purchases, with a fully European VVER fuel alternative targeted for lead assemblies from 2028 and regular deliveries in the early 2030s. The permit was issued despite approximately 11,000 public objections and a three-day hearing in 2024. The environmental organization BUND is examining legal action.