Germany signals conditional approval for Rosatom-licensed fuel rod production expansion

The German federal cabinet signaled on Feb 21, 2026 that it will give conditional approval for Advanced Nuclear Fuels GmbH (ANF), a Framatome subsidiary, to expand fuel‑rod and fuel‑assembly production at its Lingen plant in Emsland, Lower Saxony, subject to restrictions and further review. Production would use Russian designs under a license from TVEL, a Rosatom subsidiary, and the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment retains final licensing authority for the project.

ANF’s proposal calls for manufacturing new fuel assemblies (FA) for nuclear power plants in Lingen under a TVEL license, a move described in reporting as a French‑Russian joint venture pitched to bolster EU energy security and reduce imports of fossil fuels. The cabinet “will give the 'green light' to this project with certain restrictions after the completion of the review,” federal officials told AFP, as cited in wider coverage. Federal environment and security agencies prepared an expert assessment ahead of the cabinet signal, and Berlin’s review is expected to conclude before the Lower Saxony ministry issues a permit.

Security and espionage concerns are central to opposition. A 2023 expert report commissioned by the federal government warned that cooperation with Rosatom could allow direct interference in plant operations, influence over safety decisions, intelligence gathering on internal processes, and industrial espionage. Lower Saxony Environment Minister Christian Meyer is reported to be “particularly skeptical,” and regional officials say the final decision will await Berlin’s completed assessment.

Campaigners and independent experts framed the move in geopolitical terms. Vladimir Slivyak, an exiled Russian environmental campaigner, warned the decision would strengthen a key agency within Russia’s military‑industrial complex and create a “clear security risk” to the EU while helping to finance Russia’s war in Ukraine. Patricia Lorenz, described as a nuclear expert and campaigner, said the decision demonstrated the nuclear industry’s dependence on Russia and the power that Rosatom continues to hold over political decisions.

The proposal comes as the EU debates tighter limits on Russian energy imports and amid other Rosatom contract disputes. NovayaGazeta EU noted that Rosatom recently ended its contract with Siemens on the Paks II project in Hungary, with Rosatom describing Siemens as unable “to fulfill its contractual obligations,” a development flagged as context for debate over Russian involvement in European nuclear supply chains.

Reporting on the Lingen plan shows divergence across outlets: Tagesspiegel and NovayaGazeta EU presented the move as an approval, while AFP and Politico emphasized Berlin’s conditional stance and the remaining role of Lower Saxony. Politico noted that German authorities are expected to decide “in the next few weeks” whether to approve the plans, and that TVEL and Rosatom did not answer a request for comment.

Emsland’s broader energy projects provide background to the region’s industrial policy. RWE’s GET H2 Nukleus program, unrelated to ANF’s reactor fuel work but active in Emsland, received EU state aid clearance on Feb 14, 2024 and targets a 300 MW electrolysis plant by 2027 with funding commitments from federal and state governments.

Next steps are the completion of Berlin’s review, the specification of any restrictions attached to a federal clearance, and the Lower Saxony Ministry of the Environment’s final permit decision expected in the coming weeks.