BNFL looks at US bond market

BRITISH Nuclear Fuels may tap the US bond markets for the first time to fund building American mini-Sellafield reprocessing plants after winning the first stage of a $6.9bn (pounds 4.2bn) nuclear clean-up contract in Washington State.

Profits before tax fell from pounds 216m to pounds 199m in the year to 31 March. Turnover was up from pounds 1.26bn to pounds 1.34bn.