What a $1,000 Investment in NuScale Power Could Be Worth by September 2027

In 2020, data centers only consumed 2% of the electricity in the United States. By 2028, it's forecast to jump to 12% of all electricity consumption. As traditional grids struggle to keep up with this rising demand and communities worry that new data centers in their areas will lead to higher electricity bills, additional power sources are being explored.

Nuclear energy is one of these sources, especially a new wave of small modular reactors (SMRs), to help meet demand while also providing added energy security within the United States.

One of the companies racing to develop SMRs is NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR). The company is getting added attention (which is good), but its stock is trading down almost 45% so far in 2026 (which is not so good). Forecasts suggest more favorable results over the next year, but caution is still warranted. Here's why.

Image source: The Motley Fool.

Investing $1,000 in NuScale today

Analysts appear generally positive but cautious about NuScale's potential. Of the 18 covering the stock, 39% rate it a buy, 50% a hold, and 11% a sell, according to CNN. Among that group, the one-year price target consensus is favorable at $11, which, based on the Sept. 29 share price of $7.83, would represent a 40.5% gain.

To put that in perspective, buying $1,000 worth of the stock through fractional investing would yield nearly 128 shares. By September 2027, if NuScale reached $11 per share, that $1,000 investment would be worth approximately $1,405.

Median price targets can offer a more grounded overview, but we can also look at the highest and lowest targets from that group of analysts. The highest is $20, representing a potential 155% gain, which would turn a $1,000 investment into approximately $2,556. The lowest price target is $6, representing a 23.4% loss, shrinking a $1,000 investment into about $767.

Investment considerations for NuScale

Price targets aren't guarantees, and investors shouldn't rely on them solely for investment decisions. But they serve as a starting point for understanding a stock's risk-to-reward potential. The wide range, from $6 to $20, accurately reflects the investable opportunity.

As NuScale has no commercial operations or meaningful revenue at the moment and doesn't expect to deploy its NuScale Power Module until 2030, it's not outside the realm of possibility that NuScale could trade at the $6 target by next September. There may not be enough progress to show, which could keep pushing the stock price lower. On the other hand, if the company clears more regulatory hurdles and accelerates design progress, and nuclear energy stocks see broader bullish sentiment, the stock price could move higher, bringing shares closer to that median target of $11. Still, the $20 price target seems a little ambitious.

With all that in mind, NuScale could fit into the portfolio of a more aggressive investor taking a small, speculative stake in the company, or one who is considering owning several nuclear energy stocks to avoid trying to guess the ultimate winner in the sector.

Owning several stocks related to the nuclear energy market, including Oklo, Constellation Energy, and others, in addition to NuScale, can help mitigate investment risk. Having a few long-term winners can more than offset the losses from any single investment that doesn't pan out while still providing meaningful overall portfolio gains. The key with NuScale is having the patience to see whether it will execute, as well as being able to withstand any volatile price swings along the way.

Jack Delaney has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Constellation Brands and NuScale Power. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.