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echawkes t1_j5crbdx wrote

>NuScale and UAMPS attribute the construction cost increase to inflationary pressure on the energy supply chain, particularly increases in the prices of the commodities that will be used in nuclear power plant construction.

The biggest cost increases they list are for steel (shockingly high), but they also mention copper and electrical equipment. Plus, inflation is going up, which affects the cost of financing projects.

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Mitsulan t1_j5drg9w wrote

I own a small steel fabrication business and have been feeling this personally since early COVID. I have been steadily bumping my prices for the past two years including a massive 35% jump this year just to keep my head above water on steel costs. It's absurd. Industry wide we are seeing large scale project delays and even cancellations (which carry significant penalties) as project budgets get blown out of the water by steel costs.

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ShadyRedditInvestor t1_j5dzda3 wrote

As someone in the industry, have you seen the quality of materials fall at the same time? Sure feels like it from here.

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Mitsulan t1_j5e5ati wrote

It's been hit and miss. I've had some structural orders that look like they sat in a port for months (Hilariously that is what actually happened). Tons of rust, more bent flanges than typical. I think suppliers are struggling to source material so material they would normally chop the bad parts out of and scrap they are trying to sell instead. So to answer your question, Yes.

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ICOrthogonal t1_j5f93fx wrote

I hear Indiana is one of the few locations on CONUS that could start to scale steel production and replace some of the import load. Do you have any read on that?

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