The nuclear energy sector experienced another massive breakout on Friday as Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META) officially entered the atomic age.
The social media giant announced a series of landmark agreements totaling more than 6 gigawatts of capacity, signaling that Big Tech’s hunger for carbon-free power is the primary driver of the nuclear industry’s next leg of growth.
The Meta Power Play
The rally kicked off with a major 20-year agreement between Meta and Vistra Corp. (NYSE:VST). Under the deal, Meta will purchase 2.6 gigawatts of energy from Vistra's nuclear fleet in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
In a separate, more speculative move, Meta partnered with the Sam Altman-backed Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) to develop a 1.2-gigawatt advanced nuclear technology campus in Southern Ohio.
Following the news, Oklo shares surged nearly 20% and Vistra climbed over 10% in early trading.
Investors view the deals as a proof of concept for next-generation nuclear deployments.
Sector-Wide Ripple Effect
The “Meta effect” quickly spread across the entire nuclear supply chain. NuScale Power Corp. (NYSE:SMR), the only company with a certified small modular reactor design in the U.S., saw its stock jump as the market anticipated more hyperscale deals.
Uranium heavyweights also joined the rally. Cameco Corp. (NYSE:CCJ) and Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE:UUUU) ripped higher as the long-term demand for nuclear fuel became undeniable.
NexGen Energy Ltd. (NYSE:NXE) stock moved toward all-time highs as the timeline for new uranium production becomes critical to meeting the 2030–2035 energy targets.
Smaller, high-growth players also caught a bid. Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE:LEU), Terrestrial Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:IMSR) and Nano Nuclear Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:NNE) rose sharply on expectations that the federal government’s $2.7 billion HALEU funding will accelerate the commercialization of the reactors Meta is now backing.
The Takeaway
As AI models grow more complex, the electricity required to train them is outpacing availability and Big Tech is turning to nuclear.
With Meta following the lead of Microsoft and Google in securing nuclear power, the sector is moving from a speculative play to a critical infrastructure component of the AI revolution.
Image: Shutterstock
