NuScale Power (SMR) Stock: Nuclear Energy Stocks Rally as Trading Year Kicks Off

TLDR

• NuScale Power (SMR) shares jumped 15.1% on January 3, 2026, closing at $16.31 in the first trading session of the year
• The rally occurred across the entire nuclear energy sector, with Centrus Energy up 12.2%, Oklo up 8.4%, and BWX Technologies up 5.2%
• No company-specific news drove the surge, suggesting the move was fueled by renewed speculative momentum and broader sector interest
• NuScale received NRC approval for its 77-megawatt small modular reactor design in May 2024, a key regulatory milestone
• Upcoming economic data including the January 9 jobs report and January 13 CPI will test whether the rally has staying power

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The first trading day of 2026 brought good news for nuclear energy investors. NuScale Power shares jumped 15.1% to close Friday at $16.31, leading a sector-wide rally that caught traders’ attention.

NuScale Power Corporation, SMR

The move wasn’t company-specific. The entire nuclear energy sector pushed higher in coordinated fashion.

Centrus Energy gained 12.2%, while Oklo rose 8.4% and BWX Technologies added 5.2%. This synchronized movement showed investors betting on the sector rather than individual companies.

NuScale has become one of the most actively traded U.S. names in the small modular reactor space. The company develops factory-built nuclear systems designed to deploy faster than traditional plants.

Broader markets provided a supportive backdrop. The Dow climbed 0.66% and the S&P 500 edged higher after late December weakness. The Nasdaq finished slightly lower.

Traders piled back into the stock with heavy options trading activity. This created rising speculative momentum that pushed shares through key price levels.

The rally came without fresh company news. NuScale hasn’t posted new press releases since November 6, when it published quarterly earnings materials.

Regulatory Win Still Supporting Sentiment

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved NuScale’s upgraded 77-megawatt reactor design in May. This regulatory milestone strengthened the commercialization pitch after years of work.

Getting NRC sign-off removed a key hurdle. It validated the technical approach, though commercialization challenges remain before the technology generates revenue.

Analysts remain cautious despite the rebound. They see the strong trading action as positive but worry about potential share dilution and memories of a 2025-related sell-off.

The stock traded between $14.33 and $16.73 on Friday. The $16 level represents an early test of whether the rebound holds.

Breaking above Friday’s high would signal more bullish momentum. Falling below $16 might trigger profit-taking from traders who bought the rally.

Data Week Could Reshape Outlook

Next week’s economic calendar becomes critical for traders. The monthly jobs report drops January 9, followed by the consumer price index on January 13.

These data points can reshape expectations for Federal Reserve policy. Strong economic data supporting continued rate cuts would likely benefit NuScale and similar companies.

Conversely, inflation readings that force the Fed to pause easing could trigger profit-taking. High-volatility stocks that rallied to start the year would face pressure.

Matthew Maley, chief market strategist at Miller Tabak, told Reuters the market is looking for direction. This observation applies especially to nuclear energy stocks trading on future promise.

The Fed’s next policy meeting is scheduled for January 27-28. Investors are weighing how much further rate cuts can go after the central bank eased policy late last year.

Broader risk appetite remains a critical factor for high-volatility stocks like NuScale. Wall Street is still searching for a macro tell early in the year.

Small modular reactors represent a compelling thesis if technical and commercial challenges can be overcome. These systems promise nuclear power’s carbon-free benefits with faster deployment.

However, the technology remains largely unproven at commercial scale. NuScale and competitors are racing to demonstrate SMRs can deliver while navigating regulatory requirements.

NuScale hasn’t listed a fourth-quarter earnings date on its investor site. Market calendars point to early March as an estimate for the results.

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