Macroeconomic Risks Relating to Our Business
We may experience a disproportionately larger impact from inflation and rising costs.
Recently, inflation has increased to its highest level in decades. Inflation has resulted in, and may continue to result in, higher interest rates and capital costs, higher shipping costs, higher material costs, supply shortages, increased costs of labor and other similar effects. Although the impact of material cost, labor, or other inflationary or economically driven factors will impact the entire nuclear and energy transition industry (including renewable sources of electricity, like solar and wind), the relative impact will not be the same across the industry, and the particular effects within the industry will depend on a number of factors, including material use, technology, design, structure of supply agreements, project management and others, which could result in significant changes to the competitiveness of our technology and our ability to construct and operate our LFRs and plants, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Uncertain global macroeconomic, trade and political conditions could materially and adversely affect our business prospects, financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.
Our results of operations and ability to execute our business plan could be materially affected by adverse global and regional economic, financial, trade and political conditions, including inflation, deflation, elevated interest rates, foreign exchange volatility, reduced availability or increased cost of capital, recessionary pressures, energy and commodity price volatility, supply chain disruptions, labor market constraints, changes in trade laws and policies, sanctions, export controls, tariffs, import restrictions and the effects of governmental initiatives to manage economic or strategic conditions. Because our business is capital-intensive, dependent on long development timelines and reliant on specialized equipment, materials, services and regulatory processes across multiple jurisdictions, these conditions may have a disproportionate effect on our business, our counterparties and our customers.
Current or potential customers may delay, reduce or cancel spending on our LFRs, plants and related services as their businesses, financing conditions or budgets are affected by inflation, higher interest rates, tighter credit markets, market volatility, geopolitical uncertainty or other adverse macroeconomic developments. In addition, our customers, suppliers, contractors and other counterparties may experience financial distress, liquidity constraints or reduced access to financing, which could impair their ability to perform their obligations to us or to proceed with projects involving our technology. The inability or unwillingness of current and potential customers to purchase or pay for our LFRs, plants and related services could adversely affect our earnings, cash flows and prospects.
Geopolitical tensions, military conflicts, sanctions, export controls and other trade restrictions also may adversely affect our business. In addition to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions and countermeasures, heightened tensions or conflict involving major economies or strategic regions, including in the Middle East, the Taiwan Strait, the Red Sea, the Suez Canal or the Strait of Hormuz, could disrupt global trade flows, increase freight, insurance and transportation costs, delay deliveries, limit access to key shipping routes, impair the availability of critical equipment, components, raw materials or services and increase price volatility across the supply chain. Recent filing precedents specifically call out disruptions to the Red Sea, Suez Canal and Strait of Hormuz, as well as trade tensions, sanctions and export restrictions affecting critical materials.
We may also be adversely affected by changes in national or regional industrial and trade policy, including tariffs, retaliatory tariffs, quotas, sanctions, local content requirements, foreign investment restrictions, legislation favoring domestic investment or domestic suppliers, restrictions on imports or exports of goods, technology, data or services and other protectionist or nationalistic measures. Recent SEC filing precedents use formulations covering tariffs, export controls, restrictions on rare earths and critical minerals, and governmental policies favoring domestic companies or investment. Any such measures, whether adopted in jurisdictions in which we, our suppliers or our customers operate, could increase our costs, reduce the availability of necessary materials or components, delay procurement or project execution, impair our competitiveness, limit our ability to access particular markets or counterparties or require us to modify our supply chain, sourcing or commercial strategy at significant expense.
In particular, restrictions affecting critical minerals, advanced manufacturing inputs, specialized industrial equipment, energy products, enrichment services or other strategically sensitive materials or services could adversely affect our costs, timelines and operational planning. Likewise, any escalation of geopolitical tensions or resurgence of protectionist or nationalist political agendas could result in further market disruptions, increased inflationary pressures, reduced investment confidence, greater regulatory uncertainty and lower customer willingness to commit capital to long-dated projects such as those involving our technologies.