NuScale's SMR Technology: A Nuclear Catalyst for the Data Center Revolution

The global data center market is on the brink of an energy crisis. By 2030, these facilities are projected to consume 7.5% of the U.S. electricity supply, with AI-driven workloads alone tripling their power demands. Enter NuScale Power (NUSL), a pioneer in small modular reactor (SMR) technology, now positioned to capture this $240 billion opportunity with its NRC-certified SMR design and strategic partnerships with hyperscalers.

The Regulatory Approval That Changed the Game

NuScale's 77 MWe VOYGR™ SMR, approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 2023, is the first and only SMR design to achieve such certification. This milestone validates its passive safety features, including natural circulation cooling and elimination of emergency diesel generators—a first for commercial nuclear plants. The design's modular scalability (1–12 units, 77–924 MWe) allows precise power matching for data centers, while its factory-fabricated modules slash construction timelines by 50% compared to traditional reactors.

Hyper-Scaler Partnerships: Powering the AI Era

NuScale's $2 Billion Ohio/Pennsylvania Projects, set for commercialization by 2029, exemplify its strategic pivot. Partnering with Standard Power and ENTRA1 Energy, these facilities will supply 1.8 GW of carbon-free power to hyperscalers. The model—build-own-transfer agreements with long-term PPAs—avoids the capital risks of direct ownership, appealing to tech giants like Meta and Amazon. While AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure are still exploring nuclear partnerships, NuScale's 924 MWe per site capacity aligns perfectly with hyperscalers' need for reliable, 24/7 energy to fuel AI and cloud infrastructure.

Economic Benefits: Lower Costs, Higher Reliability

• Factory Fabrication: SMRs are assembled in controlled environments, reducing costs by $1,500/kW compared to conventional plants.
• Fuel Efficiency: Uranium provides 2.5 million times the energy density of lithium-ion batteries, making SMRs ideal for 24/7 baseload power.
• Carbon-Free Baseload: Unlike renewables, SMRs offer consistent output—critical for data centers' uptime requirements.

Risk Mitigation: Waste, Safety, and Geopolitics

• Waste Management: SMRs use conventional uranium fuel with shorter operational cycles, reducing waste volume by 30% versus traditional reactors.
• Safety: NRC exemptions confirm the design's inherent safety—no active cooling needed post-accident.
• Supply Chain: Partners like Doosan Enerbility ensure module production, while U.S. government support (e.g., the ADVANCE Act) streamlines permitting.

2029 Catalysts: Why Now is the Inflection Point

The Ohio/Pennsylvania projects are NuScale's first-of-a-kind commercial deployment, a critical step toward proving SMR economics at scale. Additionally, the $900 million DOE funding pipeline and RoPower Doicesti plant in Romania (Phase 2 FEED underway) validate international demand. NuScale's Q1 2025 results—$13.4 million in revenue (929% YoY growth) and $521 million in cash—confirm its financial readiness to execute.

Why Invest in NuScale (NUSL)?

• Decarbonization Play: SMRs are the only scalable, zero-emission solution for data centers' energy needs.
• Infrastructure Boom: The U.S. alone plans $650 billion in energy infrastructure spending through 2030.
• First-Mover Advantage: With NRC certification and 12 funded projects, NuScale dominates the SMR race.

Final Call: Buy NuScale Before the SMR Surge

The data center energy market is at a crossroads—NuScale's SMR tech is the bridge to a clean, reliable future. With its Ohio/Pennsylvania projects nearing construction and a $521M war chest, NUSL is primed to lead the $1.3 trillion clean energy transition. Investors seeking exposure to decarbonization and infrastructure growth should act now—before SMR valuations hit critical mass.

The nuclear renaissance is here. Don't miss the train.