The Smartest Nuclear Stock to Buy With $100 Right Now
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By Steven Porrello – Dec 17, 2025 at 7:30PM ESTKey PointsNuScale Power has an SMR design that's been approved by the NRC. The company has not yet built an SMR for commercial purposes. NuScale is bleeding cash, but its first deal might be close at hand. These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NYSE: SMRNuScale PowerMarket Cap$4.8BToday's Changeangle-down(-8.12%) $1.39Current Price$15.73Price as of December 17, 2025 at 4:00 PM ETShares of NuScale Power have fallen more than 60% from recent highs. Is now the time to buy?After decades of dormancy and stagnation, nuclear energy is roaring back to life. It's not hard to understand why. As a source of clean energy, nuclear can help companies and nations meet climate objectives. And as a source of reliable, round-the-clock power, nuclear can give artificial intelligence (AI) data centers the juice they need to support ever-growing computational demand. Not all nuclear energy stocks, however, will have the same growth trajectory, nor will every nuclear start-up stick around long enough to generate meaningful revenue. On that note, one nuclear energy stock that's worth a closer look is NuScale Power (SMR 8.12%). Here's why. Image source: Getty Images. Regulatory approval could be a competitive moat NuScale Power is designing a small modular reactor (SMR). While it's not the only U.S. company using this novel technology, it is currently the only one with an SMR design approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). That puts it in front of other advanced nuclear technology companies like Oklo and Nano Nuclear Energy. ExpandNYSE: SMRNuScale PowerToday's Change(-8.12%) $-1.39Current Price$15.73Key Data PointsMarket Cap$4.8BDay's Range$15.69 - $17.2552wk Range$11.08 - $57.42Volume22MAvg Vol24MGross Margin64.95% NuScale obtained its design license back in May 2025. And while it hasn't yet inked a major deal with a paying customer, the company has been "inundated" with requests, according to CEO and President John Hopkins. That said, NuScale is involved in two projects that could lead to deployment: an SMR power plant in Romania, led by Romanian utilities company RoPower, and an SMR project with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA). Both projects are still under planning, but they're plausible paths to a first deal.Advertisement At the same time, investors should take note of risks. The company is burning cash and has yet to scale its nuclear technology commercially. It's unclear, for example, how much SMRs will cost, or whether they will, in the end, become the preferred energy source for AI data centers. SMR Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts As such, NuScale is still a speculative play on the future of energy. For aggressive investors with $100 to invest, a small position could be a high-risk, high-reward way to gain exposure to advanced nuclear technology.About the AuthorSteven Porrello is a contributing writer at The Motley Fool covering publicly traded companies in the materials, energy, and industrials sectors. Prior to The Motley Fool, Steven worked in the personal finance space and wrote for other financial publications. He holds a dual B.A. in English and Religion & Philosophy from LaGrange College and is pursuing an MFA from Rutgers University-Newark.TMFsaporrelloRead NextDec 10, 2025 •By Steven PorrelloIs NuScale Power the Next Nuclear Energy Millionaire-Maker Stock?Dec 4, 2025 •By Scott LevineWhy NuScale Power Stock Is Soaring TodayNov 26, 2025 •By Leo SunNuScale Stock Could Be a Hidden Gem for Nuclear Energy Investors in 2025Nov 26, 2025 •By Brett SchaferBetter Nuclear Play: NuScale Power vs. OkloNov 25, 2025 •By Scott LevineWhy NuScale Power Stock Is Plunging Down TodayNov 23, 2025 •By Scott LevineIf You Had Invested $100 in NuScale Power 1 Year Ago, Here's How Much You Would Have Today