German uranium buys from Russia increase
Germany's imports of Russian uranium surged by approximately 70% in 2023. Read the full article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Germany significantly increased its imports of uranium from Russia in 2024, receiving 60.8 tons—marking a 70% increase from the previous year. This information was revealed in a recent report published by Der Spiegel on Friday.
The data stems from the Ministry for Environment, Energy and Climate Protection of Lower Saxony.
The uranium is processed at the Advanced Nuclear Fuels facility in Lingen, which is owned by the French company Framatome, a division of energy giant EDF. The facility is preparing to produce specialized nuclear fuel cells for the Soviet-designed WWER reactors that continue to operate in Eastern Europe. Historically, these power plants have relied on fuel cells produced in Russia.
The German government clarified that uranium imports from Russia are not impacted by any of the EU-wide sanctions imposed against Moscow. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, "There is currently no European Union import or export embargo against Russia for nuclear fuel for peaceful use."
The EU has been in ongoing discussions about potentially sanctioning Russia’s nuclear sector as part of a broader strategy to reduce energy reliance on Moscow. However, such sanctions have yet to be implemented due to strong opposition from several EU countries, particularly Hungary and Slovakia, which depend on nuclear energy cooperation with Russia.
Last month, Dan Jorgensen, the new energy commissioner for the bloc, acknowledged that the EU had not yet managed to reduce its dependency on Russian energy supplies. He called for a new initiative to limit the import of oil, gas, and nuclear fuel from Russia. “It’s obvious to everybody that something new needs to happen because… now it’s beginning to go in the wrong direction,” Jorgensen stated, adding that he would provide “a tangible roadmap that will include efficient tools and means for us to solve the remaining part of the problem.”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
The data stems from the Ministry for Environment, Energy and Climate Protection of Lower Saxony.
The uranium is processed at the Advanced Nuclear Fuels facility in Lingen, which is owned by the French company Framatome, a division of energy giant EDF. The facility is preparing to produce specialized nuclear fuel cells for the Soviet-designed WWER reactors that continue to operate in Eastern Europe. Historically, these power plants have relied on fuel cells produced in Russia.
The German government clarified that uranium imports from Russia are not impacted by any of the EU-wide sanctions imposed against Moscow. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection, "There is currently no European Union import or export embargo against Russia for nuclear fuel for peaceful use."
The EU has been in ongoing discussions about potentially sanctioning Russia’s nuclear sector as part of a broader strategy to reduce energy reliance on Moscow. However, such sanctions have yet to be implemented due to strong opposition from several EU countries, particularly Hungary and Slovakia, which depend on nuclear energy cooperation with Russia.
Last month, Dan Jorgensen, the new energy commissioner for the bloc, acknowledged that the EU had not yet managed to reduce its dependency on Russian energy supplies. He called for a new initiative to limit the import of oil, gas, and nuclear fuel from Russia. “It’s obvious to everybody that something new needs to happen because… now it’s beginning to go in the wrong direction,” Jorgensen stated, adding that he would provide “a tangible roadmap that will include efficient tools and means for us to solve the remaining part of the problem.”
Emily Johnson for TROIB News
