3 Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy Before 2026

Industry Overview - The surge in energy demand from hyperscalers is driving a renewed focus on reliable nuclear energy, which provides consistent baseload energy and is carbon-free, making it suitable for meeting growing energy demand and carbon-neutral goals [1] - Political support for nuclear energy is increasing, with numerous countries pledging to triple their nuclear energy capacity by 2050, necessitating a growth in U.S. nuclear capacity to 200 gigawatts (GW) by that time [2] Company Highlights Cameco Corporation - Cameco is a leading provider of uranium and nuclear infrastructure in North America, controlling significant assets in high-grade uranium mines in Canada and holding stakes in mines in Kazakhstan and Australia [5][8] - The company operates a refinery and a conversion facility in Ontario, Canada, and offers processing services to refine uranium concentrates into the final form required for reactor fuel [7] - Cameco owns 49% of Westinghouse, a nuclear reactor technology OEM, and is well diversified across the uranium value chain, making it a top nuclear stock [8] Centrus Energy - Centrus Energy provides nuclear fuel components, including low-enriched uranium (LEU), and offers enrichment and technical services to the industry and U.S. government [9] - The company currently sources uranium from global suppliers, including Russia, but faces a need to replace 25% of enriched uranium imports from Russia by 2028 due to a ban [11] - Centrus aims to produce LEU and high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) in-house using advanced centrifuge technology, positioning itself uniquely as the only producer of HALEU licensed by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission [12][13] Constellation Energy - Constellation Energy is the largest nuclear operator in the U.S., with a fleet capacity of 22 GW and an average nuclear capacity factor of 94.6%, outperforming the industry average [14][16] - The company has secured long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) with major hyperscalers like Microsoft and Meta Platforms, indicating strong demand for its energy assets [17][18] - Constellation's diverse portfolio of energy assets positions it to benefit from rising energy demand in the coming years, especially with its recent expansion in California through a $27 billion acquisition of Calpine [16][18]