Buy 3 Nuclear Energy Stocks for 2026 Amid AI-Powered Data Center Boom

Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered data centers are now booming. The AI infrastructure space remains rock solid, supported by an extremely bullish demand scenario. Research firm McKinsey & Co. has estimated that global AI-powered data center infrastructure capex will reach around $7 trillion by 2030.

The galloping requirement of electricity for data centers has significantly boosted the demand for companies that have access to nuclear power. Here we recommend three nuclear power stocks to buy for the long term.

The stocks are: Constellation Energy Corp. CEG, BWX Technologies Inc. BWXT and GE Vernova Inc. GEV. These stocks have seen positive earnings estimate revisions for 2026 in the last seven days. This indicates that the market is expecting strong business and operating efficiency for these companies this year.

Each of our picks currently carries either a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Huge Catalysts

The energy-hungry AI space has made nuclear energy one of the hottest industries on Wall Street over the past year. Nuclear energy is increasingly recognized as a key solution to meeting rising global electricity demand and shifting toward cleaner energy sources.

In the United States, new policies aim to expand nuclear power capacity from roughly 100 gigawatts (GW) in 2024 to about 400 GW by 2050. The nuclear energy sector is gaining momentum as it supports global decarbonization goals.

The renewed momentum in the sector is reflected in the extension of operating licenses for existing reactors, ongoing development of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), approvals for the construction of new nuclear facilities, and the restart of previously shut U.S. reactors.

Investments from major technology companies to support SMR development further underscore the growing investor interest in nuclear energy stocks.

Constellation Energy Corp.

Zacks Rank #2 Constellation Energy is a leading energy company in the United States with a significant thrust on clean energy, especially nuclear energy. CEG aims to eliminate 100% of greenhouse gas emissions by leveraging innovative technology.

Constellation Energy is an industry leader in operating nuclear plants safely, efficiently and reliably. Its acquisition of NRG Energy Inc.’s (NRG) 44% ownership stake in the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station has added a 2,645 MW, dual-unit nuclear plant to its portfolio.

In late 2024, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) entered into a 20-year agreement with CEG to revive the Three Mile Island nuclear plant in Pennsylvania. The $1.6 billion investment aims to restart the reactor, which has been dormant since 2019, to provide carbon-free electricity for Microsoft’s expanding data centers. CEG expects to increase nuclear output by 160 MW at Byron and Braidwood, with investments of $800 million through 2029 for required low-pressure turbine replacements.

In January 2025, Constellation Energy entered into a nuclear power supply deal with the U.S. General Services Administration for clean energy. The combined value of the deal was more than $1 billion ($840M for power + $172M for efficiency). The tenure of this deal was for 10 years to provide more than 1 million MWh of nuclear power per annum to federal agencies starting in 2025, supporting the government's net-zero goals.

In June 2025, Meta Platforms Inc. (META) signed a 20-year energy deal with CEG for supplying 1.1 gigawatts of nuclear power to its growing AI data centers in Illinois. Beginning in 2027, this agreement will ensure a steady supply of clean energy. This will help Meta Platforms expand its AI operations and cut carbon emissions.

Constellation Energy has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 29.2% and 30.1%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 4.1% in the last seven days.

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BWX Technologies Inc.

Zacks Rank #1 BWX Technologies manufactures and sells nuclear components in the United States, Canada, and internationally. BWXT operates through two segments — Government Operations and Commercial Operations.

BWXT is benefiting from strong bookings, government contracts, and growing nuclear demand, particularly in government operations and commercial power. New contract wins, particularly large-scale naval nuclear reactor agreements, were the key contributors to the strong second quarter results.

At the end of 2025, the total backlog reached $7.3 billion, up 50% year over year. Management credited robust federal demand and a growing pipeline in both government and commercial operations, including large new projects in the United States and Canada.

BWXT supplies precision-manufactured components and services to the commercial nuclear power industry. BWXT offers technical, management and site services to governments in complex facilities and environmental remediation activities.

BWXT is expanding its commercial power segment and gaining ground at the cutting edge of small modular and micro nuclear reactors. BWXT is working alongside the U.S. government and other cutting-edge nuclear energy companies.

BWXT has landed deals and partnerships with the U.S. Department of Defense to help build a cutting-edge micro-nuclear reactor. The Kinectrics acquisition and new regulatory approvals for isotope production are the other positives.

Higher manufacturing volume of nuclear components for U.S. government programs, along with growth in design and engineering work executed by BWXT’s advanced technologies business, particularly in the defense market, is likely to bolster its top line in the future.

BWX Technologies has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 17.3% and 12.7%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.7% over the last seven days.

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GE Vernova Inc.

Zacks Rank #1 GE Vernova stands to gain from global nuclear power energy momentum, particularly through its strong forte in producing SMRs. GEV cemented its standing as one of the biggest long-term winners in the AI-boosted energy boom across nuclear, natural gas, electrification, and grid expansion.

The company's joint venture (JV), named GE Hitachi Nuclear Energy (“GVH”), with Hitachi, boasts 60 years of experience in designing, deploying, servicing and fueling reactors globally. This JV’s 10th-generation Boiling Water Reactor, BWRX-300, is a compact nuclear reactor capable of generating 300-megawatt (MW) power. The first of BWRX-300 SMR is currently scheduled to be commissioned in Canada in 2029.

As companies worldwide are adopting more nuclear energy as one of their preferred choices of clean energy source, GE Vernova is actively enhancing its nuclear power business through the significant deployment of its BWX-300 SMRs via multiple collaborations.

In July 2025, GVH and Fortum entered into an early works agreement to advance the potential deployment of the BWRX-300 SMR in Finland and Sweden. In May 2025, Emirates Nuclear Energy Company and GVH signed an MoU to jointly evaluate the deployment of the BWRX-300 SMR technology internationally. GVH has also signed a series of MOUs with UK firms to enhance the deployment of BWXR-300 SMR in Great Britain.

GE Vernova has an expected revenue and earnings growth rate of 17.5% and -19.8%, respectively, for the current year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year’s earnings has improved 0.4% over the last seven days.

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