The Smartest Energy Stock to Buy With $100

Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) began its journey on the New York Stock Exchange last spring with a starting price of about $15.50 a pop. As of writing (Oct. 30, 2025), the nuclear energy start-up has skyrocketed about 793% to about $138.50 a share.

Of course, for those following Oklo, the huge valuation upgrade has been built mostly on expectation and promise. The company isn't making money and hasn't built a commercially operable reactor. It doesn't even have regulatory approval yet, and its cash burn was about $53 million over the last 12 months.

Even so, for aggressive investors making long-term bets on clean energy, Oklo stock has legs. Here's why.

The case for small nuclear

Picture, for a second, the conventional image of a nuclear power plant: The hourglass cooling tower(s), some steam coming out of the top, with industrial equipment around it, maybe on a serene day, like this one:

Image source: Getty Images.

That familiar setup is typically part of what's called a light-water reactor, which is the most common type of nuclear power plant in the world. As you can tell, these plants are big, bulky, expensive, and can take a decade or longer to build.

Now, enter Oklo.

Oklo's big idea is to build small, compact, modular reactors that can be assembled on-site in remote areas. They have no cooling towers, and can be built much faster than light-water design. The readiness of assembly, combined with the 24/7 reliable power they can provide, make them a viable source of power for facilities running artificial intelligence operations.

Oklo had early backing from OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, and now counts the White House among its allies. The Department of Energy (DOE) has partnered with it to help it advance through regulatory approval.

Again, the company is pre-revenue, and it's taking losses. At the same time, it could realistically become a go-to power source for data centers -- a huge opportunity.

It's not a stock to bet your life savings on. But a small holding (say $100) could spark a bright spot for long-term investors.

Steven Porrello has positions in Oklo. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.