A SENIOR Ukrainian delegation, including a government minister and the general director of the Chernobyl nuclear power station, is in Britain to visit Sellafield and other BNFL sites.
They are examining services provided by the company, including nuclear waste reprocessing, fuel manufacture and plant decommissioning.
A BNFL spokesman said the trip related to the company's bid for a £50 million contract for a spent fuel storage facility at Chernobyl and not specifically for reprocessing services.
The delegation for the week long visit includes the Ukrainian Minister for Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety, Mr Yuri Kostenko; the general director of the Chernobyl nuclear station, Mr Sergey Parashin; and the Ukrainian ambassador to Britain, Mr Sirgay Komissarenko.
The £50 million contract is funded by the G7 Chernobyl initiative agreed last year. The delegation will also be given information about other BNFL services, including reprocessing, fuel manufacture, decommissioning, waste encapsulation and low level waste management.
"They are free to consider whatever the company offers," the spokesman said, although only the storage contract was under consideration.
If successful, BNFL will provide design and technical expertise, with construction and operation under Ukrainian control. The contract will be awarded next spring.
