Why Nuclear Power Plant Stocks Are Attracting Massive Institutional Capital Amid AI Data Center Boom

The explosive growth of artificial intelligence infrastructure is fundamentally reshaping the global energy landscape. As data centers powering AI models consume ever-increasing quantities of electricity, nuclear energy has emerged as the critical solution that Wall Street and Washington cannot ignore. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s December 2024 assessment, data center power demand is projected to double or triple by 2028—a dramatic acceleration that has positioned nuclear power plant stocks at the center of a multi-decade investment opportunity.

The timing of this shift is no coincidence. In May 2025, President Donald Trump issued executive orders designed to accelerate the deployment of next-generation nuclear reactors across America. These directives target a transformation of the nation’s nuclear capacity from 100 gigawatts to 400 gigawatts by 2050, with strategic priority given to facilities located near military installations and AI computing hubs. Simultaneously, major technology companies including Microsoft and Meta Platforms have signed long-term energy contracts with nuclear operators, signaling a structural shift in how corporate America sources power.

For investors, this convergence of government policy, corporate demand, and technological necessity creates a compelling case to examine five nuclear power plant stocks that dominate different segments of this rapidly expanding ecosystem.

The Unstoppable Energy Demand From AI Infrastructure

The relationship between AI and nuclear power is straightforward but staggering in its implications. A single large data center can consume as much electricity as a mid-sized city. With artificial intelligence applications now embedded across enterprise software, cloud computing, and consumer technology, the cumulative power requirements have become impossible to meet through traditional intermittent renewable sources alone.

This energy crunch explains why both private corporations and government bodies have pivoted toward nuclear as the only scalable, carbon-free baseline power source. The executive orders issued this year institutionalize this shift, directing federal support toward both large reactor construction and small modular reactor (SMR) development. For nuclear power plant stocks, these policy directives transform what were once niche growth stories into mainstream investment themes backed by the full force of U.S. industrial policy.

Nuclear Power Operators: The Primary Beneficiaries

Constellation Energy Corporation (CEG) operates as America’s premier independent nuclear energy provider, with a portfolio of large-scale reactors strategically positioned to capture the data center boom. The company has allocated $5.1 billion in capital expenditures through 2025 specifically for nuclear fuel acquisition and inventory expansion. Beyond organic growth, CEG completed a significant acquisition of NRG Energy’s 44% stake in the South Texas Project, adding a 2,645-megawatt dual-unit facility to its operational base near Houston.

The real catalyst for CEG has been securing major corporate power contracts. Microsoft locked in a 20-year agreement valued at $1.6 billion to restart the dormant Three Mile Island facility in Pennsylvania—a watershed moment symbolizing nuclear energy’s rehabilitation in American industry. Subsequently, Meta Platforms committed to another 20-year nuclear supply agreement commencing in 2027, further validating CEG’s competitive position. The company is simultaneously investing $800 million through 2029 to boost nuclear output by 160 megawatts across its Byron and Braidwood plants.

Vistra Corporation (VST) represents the diversified energy hybrid model—a vertically integrated power generation and retail electricity firm with substantial nuclear assets. Unlike pure-play nuclear specialists, VST benefits from regulatory tailwinds affecting the entire energy sector while maintaining specific exposure to reactor operations. The shortened approval timelines now available through reformed regulatory pathways position VST to accelerate projects that faced years of delays under previous frameworks. This operational flexibility, combined with existing nuclear capacity in high-growth electricity markets, positions Vistra to capture both near-term earnings growth and long-term strategic value from the nuclear transition.

The Supply Chain Imperative: Equipment and Materials

Explosive reactor construction implies equally explosive demand for specialized nuclear components, safety systems, and fuel production. This supply-side opportunity is where three additional nuclear power plant stocks deserve investor attention.

Mirion Technologies Inc. (MIR) supplies radiation detection, measurement, and safety monitoring equipment essential throughout the entire nuclear lifecycle—from existing facility operations to next-generation reactor development. As the nuclear industry scales, demand for Mirion’s mandatory compliance solutions across regulated nuclear operations becomes virtually inelastic. The company is working directly with SMR developers to build out the specialized measurement and security infrastructure these new reactor designs require. This positions Mirion as a critical infrastructure provider in the expansion sequence.

BWX Technologies Inc. (BWXT) manufactures the precision-engineered nuclear components that serve dual government and commercial customer bases. The company operates through government contracting divisions supporting national security missions and a commercial segment supplying the nuclear power industry. BWXT’s recent wins include partnerships with the U.S. Department of Defense to develop cutting-edge micro-nuclear reactor components. Concurrent collaborations with commercial leaders including GE Vernova and TerraPower position BWXT at the technological frontier of next-generation reactor deployment. The combination of government contracts, manufacturing volume growth, and engineering services revenue suggests substantial operating leverage as the industry expands.

Cameco Corporation (CCJ), one of the world’s largest uranium producers, occupies the foundational tier of the nuclear energy supply chain. As primary fuel source supplier, Cameco’s volumes expand directly with reactor deployment and utilization. The company operates three core segments: uranium mining and processing, fuel services, and Westinghouse operations. With uranium now recognized as critical infrastructure by the U.S. government, and with long-term contracts already secured by utilities anticipating higher reactor utilization, Cameco’s growth trajectory reflects fundamental supply constraints in a rapidly tightening uranium market.

Investment Thesis: Why Nuclear Power Plant Stocks Matter Now

The convergence of three structural forces—artificial intelligence’s insatiable power demands, government mandates accelerating nuclear deployment, and major corporate commitments to nuclear-sourced electricity—has created a unique moment for nuclear power plant stocks. Previous waves of nuclear enthusiasm have faded due to policy uncertainty or technological setbacks. This cycle differs fundamentally because the power demand is genuinely new, the government commitment is bipartisan and sustained, and corporate customers are making multi-decade commitments requiring nuclear energy.

For long-term investors, temporary price weakness in these positions should be recognized as accumulation opportunities rather than signals of fundamental deterioration. The companies examined here operate across different value chain segments but all benefit from the same underlying dynamic: a generation-defining shift in how America and the world will power advanced technologies. This transformation will not occur within months or even years, but the capital commitments being made now suggest that nuclear power plant stocks will remain central to energy sector returns throughout the 2020s and beyond.