Europe's nuclear dependency: The tightening grip of Russian technology

In various regions of Eastern and Central Europe, as many as 18 nuclear power plants are fundamentally connected to Russia, from design to the reliance on its technology, and even the enriched uranium supplied by Rosatom. The production of fuel for these plants is envisioned to take place in Europe's core.

Amidst escalating military tensions between Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron, engineers from both nations are paradoxically collaborating on shaping the future of the nuclear industry, according to Bloomberg.

Rosatom Corp., a behemoth in the nuclear field, is working alongside the French state-owned enterprise Framatome SA to produce the necessary fuel at the Framatome facility in Lingen, Germany. This endeavour aims to supply reactors that power the homes of 100 million people across Eastern Europe.

Countries like Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia continue to employ Russian technology, Bloomberg reports.

Recently, Framatome formed a partnership with the Russian firm TVEL Fuel Co. This joint venture is now seeking approval from the German government for a technology transfer to Lingen.

Bloomberg suggests that this move could potentially reinforce Russia's control over the nuclear energy landscape in Europe.

Vladimir Shlyak, a Russian environmental activist, voiced concerns in Bloomberg about the potential ramifications. He argues that such a development would not only make Europe increasingly reliant on Russia for energy but also amplify the Kremlin's geopolitical leverage.