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.
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Analyst Views on SMR
Wall Street analysts forecast SMR stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
5 Buy
6 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 10.150
Low
18.50
Averages
32.77
High
60.00
Current: 10.150
Low
18.50
Averages
32.77
High
60.00
About SMR
NuScale Power Corporation is a provider of proprietary advanced small modular reactor (SMR) nuclear technology. The NuScale Power Module, the Company's SMR technology, is a small pressurized water reactor that can generate approximately 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 domestic and international governments, utilities, state-owned enterprises and technology and industrial companies in need of carbon-free, reliable energy.
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.
NuScale Power's Prospects in Small Modular Reactor Development
- Market Potential: NuScale Power focuses on developing small modular reactors (SMRs) to provide clean energy within a reasonable budget and shorter timeline, particularly appealing to utility companies looking to replace coal plants to meet climate goals.
- Stock Volatility: Despite NuScale's stock plummeting about 75% over the past year, currently trading around $10, its market cap stands at $3.4 billion, reflecting a complex market perception of its future potential.
- Technological Edge: As the only U.S. company with an NRC-certified SMR design, NuScale holds a first-mover advantage, especially as unprecedented energy demands from AI data centers push utilities to explore alternative baseload power solutions.
- Government Support: The U.S. government's increasing support for nuclear energy, with the Trump administration aiming to quadruple nuclear capacity by 2050, positions SMRs as a key component in this expansion, although NuScale has yet to secure its first commercial sale.
See More
NuScale Stock Plummets Over 80%, Future Growth Potential Remains
- Significant Stock Decline: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted over 80% from its record high of $53.43 on October 15, 2025, currently trading below $10, raising concerns among investors regarding its future prospects amidst this volatility.
- Future Revenue Expectations: Despite setbacks, analysts project NuScale's revenue to rise from $31 million in 2025 to $311 million by 2028, indicating substantial growth potential once its commercial reactors come online in the 2030s, although it is expected to remain unprofitable in the interim.
- Technological Advantage: NuScale's development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which are significantly smaller than conventional nuclear reactors, allows for reduced construction time, labor, and costs, positioning the company favorably in the global nuclear energy market.
- Strategic Partnerships: NuScale is collaborating with Fluor to deploy six 77 MWe reactors in Romania's RoPower project and has agreed to deploy up to six gigawatts of SMR capacity across seven states for the Tennessee Valley Authority, although actual deployment is not expected until the early 2030s.
See More
NuScale Power's Stock Pullback May Present Buying Opportunity
- Stock Price Decline: NuScale Power's stock reached a record high of $53.43 on October 15, 2025, but currently trades below $10, reflecting market concerns about its future despite the potential of its small modular reactor (SMR) technology to reduce construction costs and time.
- Project Collaboration Progress: NuScale is partnering with Fluor to deploy six 77 MWe reactors at Romania's RoPower, totaling 462 MWe, while also agreeing with the Tennessee Valley Authority to deploy up to six gigawatts of SMR capacity across seven states in the U.S., demonstrating its commitment to market expansion.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: Although NuScale does not expect to deploy any reactors until the early 2030s, analysts forecast its revenue will rise from $31 million in 2025 to $311 million in 2028, indicating significant future growth potential despite remaining unprofitable during this period.
- Investment Timing Analysis: While NuScale's stock remains speculative, the current low price may present a good buying opportunity for long-term investors, especially considering the anticipated substantial revenue and profit growth in the 2030s once its commercial reactors come online.
See More
NuScale Power Faces Challenges and Opportunities
- Market Pressure: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted approximately 75% over the past year, currently trading at about $10 per share, significantly below its 52-week high of $57, indicating investor disappointment and potentially impacting future financing capabilities.
- Technological Edge and Demand: As the only U.S. company with an NRC-certified small modular reactor (SMR) design, NuScale holds a first-mover advantage; however, the lack of a first firm sale has resulted in weak market demand, limiting revenue growth potential.
- Government Support and Strategic Partnerships: U.S. government support for nuclear energy is strengthening, with the Trump administration aiming to quadruple nuclear capacity by 2050, and NuScale's partnership with ENTRA1 seeks to connect with tech clients, capitalizing on AI data centers' demand for baseload power, which is strategically significant.
- Investor Confidence Issues: Despite the promising outlook for NuScale in the nuclear sector, the absence of practical commercial applications has led to diminished investor confidence in its future economic viability, resulting in heightened stock volatility with a beta of 2.22, indicating higher risk.
See More
Congress Members Disclose SpaceX Stock Purchases Post-IPO
- Congressional Trading Disclosure: Representatives Dan Meuser and Gil Cisneros disclosed stock purchases in SpaceX following its IPO, with Meuser's dependent child buying between $15,001 and $50,000 on June 15, and Cisneros purchasing between $1,001 and $15,000 on June 18, indicating confidence in the company's future prospects.
- IPO Market Response: SpaceX went public on June 12 with a market cap exceeding $2 trillion, marking the largest IPO in history, opening at $150 and quickly pushing its valuation past $2 trillion, reflecting strong market demand for Musk's ventures and artificial intelligence initiatives.
- Political Sensitivity: The trades are politically sensitive due to the members' committee assignments, with Meuser serving on the Financial Services Committee overseeing securities and exchanges, while Cisneros is on the Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Defense Department, a major SpaceX customer.
- Future Trading Expectations: More disclosures from Congress members are anticipated in the coming weeks, with ethics watchdogs suggesting this may only be the tip of the iceberg, as many lawmakers are likely to have engaged in trading related to SpaceX's IPO, highlighting ongoing interest in tech company listings.
See More
Volatility and Prospects of Nuclear Energy Stocks
- Investment Return Volatility: If investors had purchased the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF on June 30, 2025, and held until October 15, they would have seen a 47% return, but since then, the investment has lost about 30% of its value, highlighting the volatility and changing market sentiment surrounding nuclear energy stocks.
- NuScale Power's Predicament: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted by 75%, primarily because the company has yet to deploy a commercial small modular reactor (SMR), and despite having certified its design, the lack of real-world application has eroded investor confidence.
- Shifting Market Demand: Although demand for AI and data centers initially boosted NuScale's stock, growing concerns over an AI bubble have made investors more selective, leading to diminished demand for NuScale's offerings in the nuclear sector.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: With two projects in Romania and Tennessee still in the planning stages, expected to materialize in the 2030s, investors should view NuScale as an early-stage developer with long-term growth potential rather than a short-term investment opportunity.
See More
NuScale Power's Prospects in Small Modular Reactor Development
- Market Potential: NuScale Power focuses on developing small modular reactors (SMRs) to provide clean energy within a reasonable budget and shorter timeline, particularly appealing to utility companies looking to replace coal plants to meet climate goals.
- Stock Volatility: Despite NuScale's stock plummeting about 75% over the past year, currently trading around $10, its market cap stands at $3.4 billion, reflecting a complex market perception of its future potential.
- Technological Edge: As the only U.S. company with an NRC-certified SMR design, NuScale holds a first-mover advantage, especially as unprecedented energy demands from AI data centers push utilities to explore alternative baseload power solutions.
- Government Support: The U.S. government's increasing support for nuclear energy, with the Trump administration aiming to quadruple nuclear capacity by 2050, positions SMRs as a key component in this expansion, although NuScale has yet to secure its first commercial sale.
See More
NuScale Stock Plummets Over 80%, Future Growth Potential Remains
- Significant Stock Decline: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted over 80% from its record high of $53.43 on October 15, 2025, currently trading below $10, raising concerns among investors regarding its future prospects amidst this volatility.
- Future Revenue Expectations: Despite setbacks, analysts project NuScale's revenue to rise from $31 million in 2025 to $311 million by 2028, indicating substantial growth potential once its commercial reactors come online in the 2030s, although it is expected to remain unprofitable in the interim.
- Technological Advantage: NuScale's development of small modular reactors (SMRs), which are significantly smaller than conventional nuclear reactors, allows for reduced construction time, labor, and costs, positioning the company favorably in the global nuclear energy market.
- Strategic Partnerships: NuScale is collaborating with Fluor to deploy six 77 MWe reactors in Romania's RoPower project and has agreed to deploy up to six gigawatts of SMR capacity across seven states for the Tennessee Valley Authority, although actual deployment is not expected until the early 2030s.
See More
NuScale Power's Stock Pullback May Present Buying Opportunity
- Stock Price Decline: NuScale Power's stock reached a record high of $53.43 on October 15, 2025, but currently trades below $10, reflecting market concerns about its future despite the potential of its small modular reactor (SMR) technology to reduce construction costs and time.
- Project Collaboration Progress: NuScale is partnering with Fluor to deploy six 77 MWe reactors at Romania's RoPower, totaling 462 MWe, while also agreeing with the Tennessee Valley Authority to deploy up to six gigawatts of SMR capacity across seven states in the U.S., demonstrating its commitment to market expansion.
- Revenue Growth Expectations: Although NuScale does not expect to deploy any reactors until the early 2030s, analysts forecast its revenue will rise from $31 million in 2025 to $311 million in 2028, indicating significant future growth potential despite remaining unprofitable during this period.
- Investment Timing Analysis: While NuScale's stock remains speculative, the current low price may present a good buying opportunity for long-term investors, especially considering the anticipated substantial revenue and profit growth in the 2030s once its commercial reactors come online.
See More
NuScale Power Faces Challenges and Opportunities
- Market Pressure: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted approximately 75% over the past year, currently trading at about $10 per share, significantly below its 52-week high of $57, indicating investor disappointment and potentially impacting future financing capabilities.
- Technological Edge and Demand: As the only U.S. company with an NRC-certified small modular reactor (SMR) design, NuScale holds a first-mover advantage; however, the lack of a first firm sale has resulted in weak market demand, limiting revenue growth potential.
- Government Support and Strategic Partnerships: U.S. government support for nuclear energy is strengthening, with the Trump administration aiming to quadruple nuclear capacity by 2050, and NuScale's partnership with ENTRA1 seeks to connect with tech clients, capitalizing on AI data centers' demand for baseload power, which is strategically significant.
- Investor Confidence Issues: Despite the promising outlook for NuScale in the nuclear sector, the absence of practical commercial applications has led to diminished investor confidence in its future economic viability, resulting in heightened stock volatility with a beta of 2.22, indicating higher risk.
See More
Congress Members Disclose SpaceX Stock Purchases Post-IPO
- Congressional Trading Disclosure: Representatives Dan Meuser and Gil Cisneros disclosed stock purchases in SpaceX following its IPO, with Meuser's dependent child buying between $15,001 and $50,000 on June 15, and Cisneros purchasing between $1,001 and $15,000 on June 18, indicating confidence in the company's future prospects.
- IPO Market Response: SpaceX went public on June 12 with a market cap exceeding $2 trillion, marking the largest IPO in history, opening at $150 and quickly pushing its valuation past $2 trillion, reflecting strong market demand for Musk's ventures and artificial intelligence initiatives.
- Political Sensitivity: The trades are politically sensitive due to the members' committee assignments, with Meuser serving on the Financial Services Committee overseeing securities and exchanges, while Cisneros is on the Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Defense Department, a major SpaceX customer.
- Future Trading Expectations: More disclosures from Congress members are anticipated in the coming weeks, with ethics watchdogs suggesting this may only be the tip of the iceberg, as many lawmakers are likely to have engaged in trading related to SpaceX's IPO, highlighting ongoing interest in tech company listings.
See More
Volatility and Prospects of Nuclear Energy Stocks
- Investment Return Volatility: If investors had purchased the VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF on June 30, 2025, and held until October 15, they would have seen a 47% return, but since then, the investment has lost about 30% of its value, highlighting the volatility and changing market sentiment surrounding nuclear energy stocks.
- NuScale Power's Predicament: NuScale Power's stock has plummeted by 75%, primarily because the company has yet to deploy a commercial small modular reactor (SMR), and despite having certified its design, the lack of real-world application has eroded investor confidence.
- Shifting Market Demand: Although demand for AI and data centers initially boosted NuScale's stock, growing concerns over an AI bubble have made investors more selective, leading to diminished demand for NuScale's offerings in the nuclear sector.
- Long-Term Growth Potential: With two projects in Romania and Tennessee still in the planning stages, expected to materialize in the 2030s, investors should view NuScale as an early-stage developer with long-term growth potential rather than a short-term investment opportunity.
See More
