3 Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy Before 2026

What's volatile, heavily regulated, capital intensive, and riding into 2026 on a wave of policy support and surging electricity demands? If you guessed anything other than nuclear energy, you might want to guess again.

Indeed, if you want a front row seat to the next big power buildout, you'll want to look where the electrons are. With global leaders committing to triple nuclear capacity by 2050 (and the U.S. pledging to quadruple by the same year), and with more than 120 companies backing that same goal, including Amazon and Alphabet, nuclear is shifting from a Cold War relic to one of the most important growth stories in energy.

If your eyes are on a long-term horizon, here are three nuclear stocks worth your gaze.

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1. Oklo

Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) is an advanced nuclear company with its eye set on microreactors. The company's Aurora "powerhouse," a compact reactor, is designed to deliver 15 to 75 megawatts of power for off-grid clients such as data centers, industrial sites, military camps, and remote communities.

These powerhouses are being engineered to run off a special fuel -- high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU) -- which could keep them running for about a decade or more between refueling.

Oklo was recently selected for the Department of Energy (DOE)'s Reactor Pilot Program, which aims to get at least three advanced reactors online (and operating outside national labs) by July 4, 2026. On top of that, Oklo has also signed a pre-agreement with data center giant Equinix for up to 500 megawatts of capacity for data centers.

Oklo is pre-revenue, and it's still working through the regulatory process. Until it has a commercial license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), the stock remains high risk, high reward.

2. Centrus Energy

You can't have a nuclear resurgence without fuel, and at least in the U.S., you can't talk about nuclear fuel without naming Centrus Energy (NYSE: LEU). Centrus currently operates one of the only U.S. facilities licensed by the NRC to produce high-assay, low-enriched uranium (HALEU), the fuel that several next-gen reactor designs (like Oklo's Aurora) will require.

Fun fact about Centrus: It traces its root to the U.S. government's enrichment program in the 1940s and later became a government-owned government before ultimately becoming privatized as an investor-owned company. As such, it brings about 70 years of enrichment experience to the table.

More to the present. In November 2023, Centrus became the first U.S. company in 70 years to produce HALEU. Likewise, in June 2025, Centrus delivered 900 kilograms of HALEU under a Department of Energy (DOE) contract.

The DOE has extended the contract through June 2026, and it's valued at $110 million. If the U.S. follows through with its advanced reactor buildout, Centrus could be well-positioned in a new HALEU supply chain.

3. Constellation

Constellation Energy (NASDAQ: CEG) is a steady way to invest in nuclear power. The company operates the largest array of nuclear plants in the U.S. (21 reactors), which also makes it the country's leading producer of carbon-free electricity.

Recently, Constellation secured a $1 billion loan from the DOE to help it launch the Crane Clean Energy Center, a nuclear facility that will add 835 megawatts of baseload power to the grid.

On top of that, Constellation also agreed earlier in 2025 to acquire Calpine for about $16.4 billion. This acquisition will make Constellation the largest generator of electricity from natural gas and geothermal sources, as well as potentially adding about 2.5 million customers to its platform.

Taken together, these three stocks offer exposure to different parts of the growing nuclear industry, from start-ups to a large-scale power provider. For those who want a slice of the nuclear industry as a whole, a share in a nuclear energy exchange-traded fund (ETF) is another option.

Steven Porrello has positions in Centrus Energy and Oklo. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Amazon, Constellation Energy, and Equinix. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.