On Tuesday, nuclear stocks surged following reports from Axios that The White House is set to issue executive orders to speed up the deployment of nuclear reactors in the United States. Oklo, a key player in the industry, saw a significant increase in its stock price as trading closed. The White House’s actions are expected to utilize the Departments of Defense and Energy to hasten the deployment of reactors, potentially bypassing delays from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC).
This move aligns with the administration’s goal to meet the growing energy demands driven by sectors such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing. Companies poised to benefit from this nuclear expansion include Oklo, which was previously supported by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Oklo is one of eight companies selected to provide microreactors for U.S. military bases, aiming to fulfill 100% of critical energy needs at these locations.
These developments are part of a larger trend to rejuvenate the U.S. nuclear energy sector. The ADVANCE Act of 2024, signed into law in July, aims to streamline the licensing process for advanced nuclear technologies, lower regulatory costs, and encourage the development of next-generation reactors. Furthermore, the Biden administration has expressed intentions to triple the nation’s nuclear power capacity by 2050, acknowledging the role of nuclear energy in achieving carbon-free electricity goals.
The anticipated executive orders signify a concerted effort to modernize the U.S. energy infrastructure, with nuclear power playing a central role in ensuring energy security and meeting future demands. As of early 2025, there were 411 nuclear reactors worldwide with a combined capacity of 371 gigawatts. Tech giants like Amazon, Meta, and Google are investing in nuclear projects to explore small modular reactors and other emerging technologies.
The story of nuclear energy’s revival has been unfolding since late 2023, with industry leaders like Meta joining the exploration of nuclear energy as a zero-carbon solution. The growing power demand from AI data centers has fueled the resurgence of nuclear power in the U.S. Investment opportunities in the energy sector, particularly in powering up America, have shown significant market outperformance.
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