The approval concerns Advanced Nuclear Fuels (ANF), a subsidiary of France’s Framatome. ANF had submitted the application back in 2022. The plant is to produce hexagonal fuel assemblies used exclusively in Soviet-designed nuclear power plants. Such reactors are still operating in several Eastern European countries and Finland.
The decision has met with widespread opposition. Environment Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) had previously called the project “fundamentally wrong.” Environmental groups and citizens’ initiatives also criticize the cooperation with the Russian state-owned company. The Federal Environment Ministry stated that it sees EU-wide sanctions, not nuclear law, as the appropriate means to counter cooperation with Rosatom.
Lower Saxony’s Environment Ministry emphasized that the permit was granted after “comprehensive reviews” and coordination with federal authorities. Should new risks – particularly to national security – arise, the license could be revoked. The background is concern that Russian experts are necessary for production, which heightens security worries.
Ukraine and several EU politicians have long called for EU sanctions against Rosatom. Just on July 13, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha discussed further sanctions with European colleagues – including restrictions on Rosatom and Roscosmos, the exclusion of Gazprombank from the SWIFT system, and a ban on transport systems for Russian liquefied natural gas. Lithuania’s Gitanas Nausėda also advocates expanding sanctions to the Russian energy sector, particularly Rosatom.
Source: www.pravda.com.ua
