The problems also affected the Mayak reactor and reprocessing complex.
Reprocessing involves the dissolution of the spent fuel in boiling concentrated nitric acid and subsequent physico-chemical separations of uranium and plutonium.
The reprocessing plant was apparently operating, whilst the delegation were there.
The Department of Trade and Industry considered either reprocessing the fuel at Sellafield, or leaving the spent fuel in long-term storage without reprocessing.
A system of assurances of supply would help persuade nuclear energy users to renounce national enrichment and reprocessing facilities.