NexGen Energy inks first uranium sales agreements with major US utilities

“Energy demand from reliable sources is increasing by the week, driven by the need to expand existing nuclear energy infrastructure and the construction of power-consuming data centers, at a time when the security of uranium supply is under significant technical and sovereign risk,” NexGen CEO Leigh Curyer said in a news release.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts record-high power consumption in 2024 and 2025, fueled by growing demand from AI usage, data-center expansion, and residential and commercial consumers.

NexGen’s Rook I project in Saskatchewan is considered one of the largest development-stage uranium deposits in Canada. It contains 3.7 million tonnes in measured and indicated resources, grading at 3.1% U3O8.

A 2021 feasibility study for Rook I outlined an initial 11-year mine capable of producing 21.7 million lb. of U3O8 annually during the first five years. Production is estimated to reach as high as 30 million lb. per year, according to an update in August.

With a C$1.3 billion capital expenditure, Rook I is projected to be the largest and lowest-cost uranium mine in the world.

Last month, NexGen successfully completed the final federal technical review for the project. It is now eligible to schedule a federal commission hearing, the final step before securing federal project approval.

NexGen is well-positioned to secure project financing post a potential Federal approval of the project in 2025, RBC Capital Markets analyst Andrew Wong wrote in a note, adding that the terms of the contract likely “mitigates the risk from potential delays in project start-up.”

Shares of NexGen Energy rose 4.5% in New York by 10:30 a.m. EDT. The company’s market capitalization is approximately $4.8 billion.