AI's Demand for Energy Drives Nuclear ETFs to Record Levels
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Sep 22 2025
0mins
Source: Benzinga
Nuclear ETFs Surge: Nuclear-themed ETFs, such as the VanEck Uranium+Nuclear Energy ETF (NLR) and the Range Nuclear Renaissance Index ETF (NUKZ), have seen significant gains, with NLR reaching an all-time high and both ETFs up over 100% from their lows, reflecting a growing investor interest in nuclear energy's role in the AI revolution.
Market Potential and Policy Support: A Bank of America report highlights a potential $10 trillion market opportunity for nuclear energy by 2050, driven by increased demand for reliable energy sources. Policy support from the Trump administration and revised growth expectations from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) further bolster the sector's outlook.
Analyst Views on SMR
Wall Street analysts forecast SMR stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for SMR is 32.77 USD with a low forecast of 18.50 USD and a high forecast of 60.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
13 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
6 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 19.750
Low
18.50
Averages
32.77
High
60.00
Current: 19.750
Low
18.50
Averages
32.77
High
60.00
About SMR
NuScale Power Corporation is a provider of proprietary advanced small modular reactor nuclear technology. The NuScale Power Module, the Company's SMR technology, is a small pressurized water reactor that can generate 77 megawatts of electricity (MWe) or 250 megawatts thermal (gross) and can be scaled to meet customer needs through an array of flexible configurations of up to 924 MWe (12 modules) of output. In addition to the sale of NPMs, it offers a diversified suite of services throughout the development and operating life of the power plant. The Company's suite of services is planned to include licensing support, testing, training, fuel supply services and program management, among others. It serves a range of customers consisting of governments, political subdivisions, state-owned enterprises, investor-owned utilities and other technology and industrial companies, both in domestic and international markets.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
