AI’s thirst for electricity is prompting investors to take a second look at atomic energy plants

• Nuclear energy is in demand with the surge in AI projects and other energy-intensive endeavors.
• Nuclear power is particularly low in carbon emissions when compared to other fossil fuel alternatives, which makes it enticing for tech companies looking for sustainable energy.
• Nuclear power is a consistent source of energy, unlike green sources like wind and solar power.
• CEG,SMR,OKLO and VST are nuclear energy stocks with liquid options and stock marketplaces.

When artificial intelligence captured the public’s attention a few years ago, NVIDIA (NVDA) seemed to be the main beneficiary with such a huge stock price run-up. Chipmakers and other AI stocks took hold of the tech sector, as Magnificent Seven stocks like Google (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN) and Microsoft (MSFT) scrambled to catch up to the AI boom. Now, AI technology is at our fingertips with products like ChatGPT fueling workplaces, and AI summarizing our text messages before we even read them.

With AI here to stay and energy demand through the roof, data centers and AI companies need to find a cost-efficient, sustainable energy source. Nuclear energy is in demand right now—for many logical reasons.

Powering AI with nuclear energy

When it comes to low-cost, sustainable energy, nuclear power is at the forefront of the conversation. Data centers require so much more energy these days with massive computing power needs, and fossil fuel solutions just aren't cutting it anymore. Wind and solar energy are alternative green solutions but are not consistent sources of energy.

A handful of nuclear energy stocks have garnered a lot of attention recently, but I want to focus on tradable nuclear energy stocks—those with liquid stock markets but also liquid options markets. Four companies stand out with vibrant options markets offering monthly and weekly expiration cycles, and they have decent bid-ask spreads across the board. Check out the list below for nuclear energy stock opportunities in 2025.

Top nuclear energy stocks for 2025

Constellation Energy Corp. (CEG)

CEG stock is trading around $221 per share, near the low of 2025. It has a +/- $74.66 expected stock price range through January of ’26, based on current implied volatility. It’s the largest U.S. nuclear power plant operator and recently acquired Calpine, a large natural gas and geothermal company.

NuScale Power Corp. (SMR)

SMR stock is trading around $15 per share, near the low of 2025. The company has a +/- $8.17 expected stock price range through January of next year, based on current implied volatility. NuScale is the leader in small modular reactor production (SMRs), manufacturing the only traditional, water-cooled approved SMRs for use in the U.S.

Oklo (OKLO)

Stock in OKLO stock is trading around $22 per share, near this year’s low. The expected stock price range through next January is +/- $13.99, based on current implied volatility. It manufactures SMRs but focuses on liquid-metal-cooled fast reactors that can run at lower temperatures and reuse fuel from other reactors

Vistra (VST)

VST stock istrading around $125 per share, near the 2025 low. It has a +/- $50.62 expected stock price range through this coming January, based on current implied volatility. Vistra, a fortune 500 company, has a portfolio of nuclear, natural gas, coal, solar and battery energy storage facilities.

Mike Butler, tastylive director of market intelligence, has been in the markets and trading for a decade. He appears on Options Trading Concepts Live, airing Monday-Friday. @tradermikeyb  

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