New York, Jan 11, 2026, 18:55 EST — Market closed.
- NuScale Power shares ended Friday on an upswing, buoyed by gains across the nuclear sector
- Bank of America upgraded its rating, highlighting a “screening year” for projects despite growing policy momentum
- This week’s conference circuit is under close watch by investors, eager for new information on customers, funding, and timelines
NuScale Power shares ended Friday at $20.51, gaining roughly 4.3% after fluctuating between $20.32 and $22.29 during the session. The stock’s volatility was on full display once again. Over the past 52 weeks, the share price has swung widely—from a low near $11.08 to a high of $57.42—highlighting the market’s uneven appetite for the small-reactor narrative. (Investing)
This shift is significant since nuclear and “SMR” stocks offer a straightforward way to bet on a single question: will major electricity consumers, particularly data-center firms, pay a premium for reliable, carbon-free energy and accelerate new construction projects?
The outlook remains uncertain. On Friday, Bank of America raised NuScale to Neutral from Underperform but dropped its price target to $28 from $34, saying the recent dip aligned expectations more with its base case. The analyst cautioned that while policy momentum “lowers friction,” it doesn’t accelerate timelines, turning 2026 into a screening year rather than one for actual construction. (TipRanks)
Big Tech set the tone again. Meta Platforms revealed it has secured 20-year deals to buy power from three Vistra nuclear plants. The company is also collaborating with Oklo and TerraPower on small modular reactor projects, aiming to lock in long-term electricity supply for its data centers. Joel Kaplan, Meta’s chief global affairs officer, said these moves would “make Meta one of the most significant corporate purchasers of nuclear energy in American history.” (Reuters)
Investors took that commitment as a green light for the sector, despite the timelines pushing into the 2030s. “We believe this news is incrementally positive for the entire nuclear energy industry,” Wedbush analysts stated in a note referenced by Investopedia. (Investopedia)
NuScale, a developer of small modular reactor technology, is positioning itself within that supply chain. The company is collaborating with TVA and ENTRA1 Energy on a 6-gigawatt SMR project, a scale that tends to attract speculation whenever data-center power comes into focus. (NuScale Power)
Small modular reactors are built in smaller units, relying more on factory assembly and less on-site construction than conventional plants. Supporters argue this approach could lower costs over time, but critics remain skeptical about whether the economics can truly scale as proponents suggest.
NuScale faces two big hurdles: execution and funding. No small modular reactors have yet gone commercial in the U.S., and projects need permits plus customers willing to commit years ahead of first power. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission gave the green light to NuScale’s larger 77-megawatt reactor design in 2025, but the company has already felt the sting of rising costs derailing a flagship project. (Reuters)
Traders are watchful of funding risk. Dilution, coming from equity issuance or other means, continues to trouble pre-revenue and early-revenue energy developers. When risk appetite drops, prices adjust quickly.
Investors will be watching closely for new updates from management as NuScale hits the conference trail this week. The company plans to appear first on Monday at UBS’s Global Energy & Utilities Winter Conference, then at Needham’s Growth Conference on Jan. 15, and finally at TD Securities’ Technology Winter Summit on Jan. 26. (NuScale Power)
The real test arrives Monday morning: will Friday’s upgrade-fueled rally hold, or will it slip away amid the usual SMR uncertainty—who’s actually signing contracts, under what conditions, and when cash burn eases. The next key event is the UBS conference on Jan. 12, where new info on customers and financing could send the stock moving fast.
