NuScale Tumbles 6.66 as UK Nuclear Investments Surge and SMR Debate Heats Up Amid $360M Volume Rank 269th

NuScale Power (SMR) fell 6.66% on August 19, 2025, with a trading volume of $0.36 billion, up 42.27% from the previous day, ranking 269th in market activity. The UK government’s expanded £36.6 billion loan facility for the Sizewell C nuclear project, raising total costs to £47.7 billion, highlighted growing public investment in large-scale nuclear infrastructure. Meanwhile, Centrica’s potential entry into small modular reactor (SMR) development, alongside renewed policy support for SMRs as a decarbonization tool, underscored competitive dynamics in the nuclear sector. Critics, including the Green Party, warned of escalating taxpayer costs and questioned nuclear’s cost-effectiveness compared to renewables, while proponents emphasized SMRs’ role in addressing energy security and hard-to-abate sectors.

Advancements in nuclear innovation, including 127 global SMR designs and the OECD’s NEA Dashboard tracking progress, reinforced long-term sector momentum. However, public opposition to Sizewell C, environmental concerns, and debates over nuclear subsidies created regulatory and reputational risks. The UK’s extended contracts for difference (CfDs) for renewables and rising fusion energy investments added complexity to the energy transition landscape. Despite these factors, NuScale’s SMR technology remains positioned to benefit from policy-driven decarbonization goals, though near-term volatility may persist amid shifting public sentiment and funding allocations.

The strategy of buying the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day yielded a total profit of $2,940 from December 2022 to August 2025, with a maximum drawdown of $-1,960. This reflects a volatile yet ultimately positive performance, marked by a peak-to-trough decline of 19.6% during the period.