Leigh Robert Curyer
Analyst · Canaccord
Thank you, Joseph. Good morning, and thank you for joining NexGen's Q2 2025 Financial Results and Investor Conference Call. My name is Leigh Curyer, and I am Chief Executive Officer. Today, I'm joined by Travis McPherson, Chief Commercial Officer; and Benjamin Salter, Chief Financial Officer. On today's call, I'll discuss our exciting company advancements, including Rook 1 Project Readiness, Patterson Corridor East results, which strongly validate another significant mineral body is unfolding 3.5 kilometers to the east alongside Arrow. Further, the PCE results clearly suggest a very significant uranium mineralizing event has occurred in the Southwest region of the Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, on an unprecedented well scale and that we are really only at the beginning of defining its true extent. Further, the exciting developments in the uranium market over the quarter, including yesterday's announcement of NexGen doubling the volume in our offtake book, incorporating our key focus of market-related pricing mechanisms, ensuring NexGen Energy deliver industry- leading leverage to future prices whilst providing utilities with confidence with respect to volumes from Rook 1's technically, environmentally and socially operation. All in all, updating the critical role NexGen is set to play in delivering the world this vital clean energy fuel supply. At the conclusion of this presentation, we'll move to the Q&A portion of the call, where you have the opportunity to ask Travis, Ben and myself your questions. Throughout the course of today's call, we will be making forward-looking statements. Please visit our website for all the relevant disclaimers. A few years ago, the idea of nuclear energy powering big tech, winning back global financing support and forming the cornerstone of national energy policy might have seemed optimistic. Today, it's happening. In just the past several weeks, we've witnessed a series of transformational developments that are reshaping global perceptions of nuclear energy. Developments that signal a clear structural shift is occurring today and forecast to extend well beyond 2050. In Q2, corporate buyers, particularly hyperscalers and AI leaders moved aggressively to secure long-duration baseload power for their required energy needs. These technology companies have committed over USD 100 billion in AI data center construction, including Amazon's $20 billion spend on data centers in Pennsylvania; Meta signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Constellation Energy to secure 1.1 gigawatts of nuclear generated electricity, which could power the equivalent of approximately 1 million homes. In addition, Constellation confirmed its nearing long-term nuclear fuel supplier deals with other hyperscalers. Google has committed to fund the development of three advanced nuclear projects and TerraPower, and Orwell raised another combined USD 1.1 billion to develop small modular reactors. The race for energy and particularly clean baseload nuclear preferred is on the growth and demand has never been more robust. These are just a few examples of the decade-long commitments to nuclear energy from the most capitalized and data-dependent companies on the planet. According to the International Energy Agency, data center demand for electricity is set to increase by 170% in China, 130% in the U.S., 80% in Japan and 70% in Europe over the next 5 years. This equates to an insatiable desire for uranium to fuel large portions of this demand through nuclear energy. The reality is that current mine supply will not keep up with the existing demand and certainly not meet the exponential demand growth unless there are higher prices. Governments, including right here in Canada under Prime Minister Mark Carney, are also moving with urgency, fast-tracking regulatory frameworks, investing in small modular reactor development and emphasizing domestic supply chains as a matter of national security. In May, President Trump signed a series of executive orders to accelerate U.S. nuclear power development, aiming to quadruple nuclear capacity from 100 to 400 gigawatts by 2050. Immediate actions include funding 5 gigawatt of upgrades for existing plants, starting construction on 10 new large-scale reactors by 2030, restarting closed or unfinished reactors, fast-tracking permitting by reforms and constructing at least three new reactors on by 2026. U.S. Department of Energy will also direct funding to new projects, invest in fuel cycle infrastructure, all to prioritize U.S. energy security and supply chain independence. This is the most comprehensive nuclear policy ever seen, and it has a profound positive implications for NexGen, Western-based, low-cost, environmentally responsible and poised ready for construction on the conclusion of the CNSC commission hearing process commencing 1 of 2 sessions only 99 days from now. In Canada, the passage of Bill C5 enables the Government of Canada to fast track major projects aligned with national, economic, environmental and indigenous priorities an approach that reinforces the direction NexGen has taken since its inception. While Rook 1 is already well advanced under the current regulatory framework, the passage of Bill C5 presents a clear opportunity for the federal government under Prime Minister Carney and Minister Hodgson's leadership to demonstrate this new legislation in action, something that is much needed in Canada in order for the country to realize its potential as a natural resources world leader. As a project that unambiguously meets the criteria of national interest, delivering economic benefit, environmental excellence and deep indigenous partnership through legally binding industry-leading benefit agreements. In the first 10 years of forecasted production, Rook 1 is capable of providing $37 billion in economic benefit to Canada. We will support 1,400 direct jobs and be initially licensed beyond 2050. NexGen's Rook 1 project exemplifies every aspect of the criteria that Carney government has defined for projects to be prioritized through Bill C5, and we look forward to the conclusion of the CNSC process to deliver the many stakeholder-led benefits our project exhibits. None of these developments are isolated. They are strategic signals from the private sector, financial institutions and government policymakers alike that nuclear energy has moved from the sidelines to the center of the global energy preference. Nuclear is not just part of the solution, it is foundational. At the core of this shift is a single truth. The world needs more electricity and it needs to be clean, reliable and affordable. It's not just about the power, it's about energy security, economic prosperity and national competitiveness, all underpinned by the requirement to supply the key ingredient, uranium. All these developments and a lack of supply lay the groundwork for structurally higher uranium prices in the foreseeable future. The reality is that the industry at large, to some extent, still believes that this can all be solved with higher prices over a reasonable time frame. However, to meet the exceptional growth in demand we're seeing, you need many new Arrow-sized projects to be found, delineated, engineered, permitted, funded and built. Arrow is widely considered the most technically sound and environmentally benign deposit globally, and we are entering into the 12th year since its discovery. Our decision to relaunch exploration in 2023 at Rook 1 has paid immediate dividends, with our PCE discovery, which we will evaluate in significance as drilling and development advances. I'll speak more in a moment about PCE. While the global policy environment accelerates, the uranium market is also gaining ground. In Q2, uranium spot prices rose over 20%, closing at USD 78.50 per pound, largely driven by the reentry of the Sprott Uranium Trust following a $200 million raise. It was a powerful reminder that the uranium market is very undersupplied and that when demand volume returns to the market, prices respond rapidly. Further, yesterday, NexGen announced a new offtake agreement with a major U.S.-based utility, which doubles our contract book in volume. Importantly, and distinguishingly from past practices, our pricing on the 10 million pound contract book is all U.S. utilities and is market-related at the time of delivery, providing unprecedented leverage to investors in this rising uranium pricing environment. At the same time, given our superior technical setting and environmental design, it provides confident diversification of a new Western world supply. Our contract book represents approximately 3% of our total defined resources and underscores NexGen's patient and strategic approach to building its sales book. We're in advanced discussions with utilities across North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and negotiations are increasingly urgent, informed and fast moving. With the commission's hearing set for September 25 and February 2026, NexGen is preparing to transition from advanced development to construction and subsequent operations. Our current cash balance stands at CAD 375 million, with funding to complete the 2025 site programs and initiate development for the first 12 months of post-approval construction. We maintain full strategic optionality with a strong cash position and active engagement with global debt providers, sovereign funds and utilities, amongst others, resulting in financing interest well in excess of the full funding requirements of the build. As we always have, we will optimize the vast number of financing alternatives available for maintaining our production flexibility and ultimately maximizing the value of each pound of uranium we produce and sell. At PCE during the quarter, NexGen announced our best discovery phase assay today. We drill hole RK-25-232, returning an incredible 15 meters at 15.9% U3O8, including an exceptional peak of 0.5 meters at 68.8%. This is amongst the best exploration intercepts in the world with Arrow hosting the majority of the other top 10. Since discovery, 45 holes at PCE have been resected mineralization. Of these, 12 have produced the ultra-high-grade massive replacement mineralization of over 61,000 counts per second. We've been bold with our spacing, in some cases, over 200 meters apart and are still intersecting mineralization consistently, demonstrating the continuity of mineralization and the overall strength of the system. Drilling to date at PCE confirmed the start similarities to the Mighty Arrow deposit just 3.5 Ks away. It's suggesting the early signs of another Tier 1 assay. It really does speak to the vast discovery potential of potentially more deposits on the Rook 1 property in the future. We also recently announced the consolidation of our entire land package, including PCE with the purchase of Rio Tinto's 10% production carried interest. It held on 39 of our claims. NexGen has secured a right of first refusal mechanism over this package after a third party made a bonafide offer to acquire it from Rio. NexGen now holds 100% ownership of all its claims in the district. This speaks to the acceptance by not only NexGen but others of the tremendous value in the Southwestern Athabasca Basin portfolio, which dominates the known and prospective trends in the district, a district which is often referred to as the future of uranium mine. In response, we have received regulatory approval to expand our exploration infrastructure, including a temporary air strip, road for dualway traffic and expanded accommodations to support a growing team on site. This program is currently underway and scheduled to be completed in Q1 2026. Our elite standards on responsible development continues to guide every part of the business. In May, we released our fifth annual sustainability report aligned with Global Reporting Initiative and Task Force for Climate-related Financial Disclosure Standards, highlighting major advancement across environmental, social and governance metrics. Through our growing education and workforce development programs, over 500 participants have engaged in NexGen-led training initiatives these past 2 years across a wide range of skilled trades. These programs developed in partnership with regional institutions and indigenous communities are designed to build capacity and create meaningful career paths aligned with the project's long-term needs. Indigenous leaders have publicly recognized NexGen's unique and leading collaborative approach with all four of the indigenous nations in the local project area citing NexGen as a benchmark for meaningful indigenous engagement and shared prosperity. Keeping an eye -- I advise to keep an eye out for a video on our website about Chantelle Herman, who is one of a group of talented local students who have become members of the NexGen team, pursuing highly technical careers at NexGen while still living in their community. Chantelle is one of these leaders in the community and Travis and I met back in 2015 at the National School Volleyball tournament and went on through our summer student program, followed by a scholarship and is now a second year geology student university whilst working as a field geology technician at Rook 1. This is one of many great outcomes from the Rook 1 project and is the foundation of delivering even greater generational advancement of the project as it goes into construction and operation. NexGen is well advanced on procurement with long lead and critical path items already ordered and in several cases, staged and secured in our warehouse. This progress reflects NexGen's fully integrated execution strategy and proactive supply chain planning, ensuring we are ready to begin major construction immediately upon final regulatory approval. With the team, materials and partnerships in place, Group 1 is execution ready. As we enter the next phase, our focus is clear; conclude approvals, finalize funding and begin building the most important new uranium project in a generation in a manner fully consistent with how NexGen have delivered the best results today across every aspect of the organization. At NexGen, we're advancing with clarity and conviction. We're executing with deep respect for the environment, communities, Saskatchewan, Canada, the world and our shareholders. We are energized by the opportunity to lead the future of nuclear. We appreciate your continued support and look forward to delivering further progress in the second half of the year. Thank you, and we will now open the call to your questions.