Nuclear stocks surged this week on comments from a top official about putting reactors on the moon. It’s just the latest rally for the sector in 2025.
Nuclear energy stocks got a big boost this week after US Transportation Secretary and interim NASA administrator Sean Duffy announced plans to expedite a nuclear reactor on the moon.
The comments sent stocks such as Oklo, Nucor and Nano Nuclear Energy jumping, with the gains extending into Wednesday’s session.
But it’s more than seemingly one-off comments that’s boosting nuclear stocks this year, and the alternative power source has become the hottest energy trade out there in 2025.
Nuclear power has come sharply into focus in recent years, with advocates including Tesla CEO Elon Musk and, more recently, the Trump White House.
A quick look at the energy sector reveals that nuclear energy is outpacing its peers. The VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF (NLR) is up almost 50% year-to-date, compared to the Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU), which is up 13%, and the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE), which is down about 1% this year. Nuclear energy is riding the AI wave
It’s hard to examine the growth of nuclear energy stocks in 2025 without talking about the role of nuclear in the AI boom.
