A triangular relationship that is close to becoming a reality, despite the war in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed on Russia, will help France produce nuclear fuel for its reactors.

The Franco-Russian joint venture will manufacture nuclear fuel rods and other components in Lingen, Germany.

The plant will be operated by Framatome, a subsidiary of the French state-owned energy company EDF, using Russian components supplied by TVEL, part of the Kremlin-controlled nuclear giant Rosatom. TVEL will not be directly involved in the operation of the plant but will provide the Russian-made components necessary for producing the nuclear fuel.

The plant will not supply electricity directly; it will focus solely on producing nuclear fuel.

Framatome is putting intense pressure on the German authorities to approve the project, mobilizing the French government at the highest levels. The company argues that what is good for Framatome is good for Europe.

However, as Politico points out, the project comes at a time when the EU is attempting to ban all energy imports from Russia in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, the plan raises concerns among state and federal authorities about potential espionage and other security risks.

The French-Russian joint venture has not yet received approval from Berlin. A final decision is expected in the coming weeks, but no timetable has been set.

For Germany, saying “yes” is politically difficult. Authorities in Berlin worry about security risks and Russian espionage, and some officials argue that a Russian company should not have access to a country still heavily dependent on Russian energy and nearly at war with Putin’s regime.

German regional authorities must also approve the plan, but they have shown little enthusiasm.

Christian Mayer, Lower Saxony’s environment minister, is particularly skeptical. He notes, “Germany once allowed Gazprom access to critical energy infrastructure and became vulnerable to blackmail when Putin turned off the gas tap during the crisis.” His ministry holds the final authority to approve the Lingen project.

France–Russia Nuclear Cooperation

The cooperation between Framatome and Rosatom began in 2021, when the two parties signed a long-term partnership and established a joint venture in which Framatome owns 75% and TVEL 25%.

Framatome applied to build the plant in Lingen in March 2022, shortly after the start of the war in Ukraine. The company argued that the move would ultimately reduce dependence on Russia, describing it as not perfect but a “100% European solution.” Framatome is also developing its own designs at its French factories.

Framatome emphasizes that no Russian engineers have worked in Lingen and that contacts with Russia have been limited since the invasion.

Nevertheless, German authorities remain skeptical, viewing the cooperation as a potential threat to national and international security.

Lower Saxony, where Lingen is located, requested the federal government’s opinion on the project. However, the previous federal administration collapsed before responding. The state has since returned to the new government with updated information and is awaiting a reply.

Pressures on Berlin

Meanwhile, Framatome is intensifying its lobbying efforts in Germany, using the consultancy Berlin Global Advisors, which is believed to have strong connections with both the CDU and SPD, as well as Russia. Supporters of the project argue that it is “harmless.”

Framatome continues to push, but it remains uncertain whether these efforts will succeed, Politico notes. One advantage for Framatome is that the EU has not sanctioned the Russian nuclear industry or Rosatom.

The European Commission is pursuing a plan to decouple from Russian energy and is financially supporting the development of alternative fuels through the SAVE and APIS programs, laying the groundwork for entirely European nuclear fuel production. One beneficiary of this support is Framatome, which has received a €10 million grant from the EU.

Regardless of the outcome in Lingen, Framatome is already planning to produce Russian fuel for 15 EU-operated reactors at its facility in Romand-sur-Isère, near Lyon, starting in 2027. The company says it will be able to supply all reactors with domestically produced fuel by 2035.