NuScale is currently the only nuclear energy company in the U.S. with design certification for a small modular reactor (SMR).
The stock has taken a hard fall since hitting all-time highs in October 2025, and is best for investors who can stomach volatility.
NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR), the nuclear technology company, hit an all-time high of $57.42 on Oct. 16, 2025. Unfortunately, the stock has since plummeted and is now trading at about $13, or roughly over 77% below that all-time high.
What gives? Well, a few things have soured investors.
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The first was a widespread scare in October that an artificial intelligence (AI) bubble was about to pop. With NuScale positioned to supply power through its small modular reactors (SMR) to AI data centers, the pessimism around the technology's profit potential didn't help the outlook for the company. Other nuclear stocks, like Oklo and Nano Nuclear Energy, also fell on the same negative sentiment.
Then, in November, NuScale's third-quarter numbers missed estimates by a long shot. It was expected to report a loss of $0.11 per share. Instead, its earnings-per-share loss was closer to $1.85. It was also authorized in December to increase shares from 332 million to 662 million.
As if that weren't negative news enough, one of NuScale's largest shareholders and supports, Fluor, announced it would sell its entire stake in NuScale.
None of this, however, spells doom and gloom for the nuclear energy stock. But the SMR developer does need to ink a firm sale for it to turn its story around.
On that front, some good news has been emerging.
The most significant is related to its first potential project with Romanian nuclear operator Nuclearelectrica. In February, shareholders of Nucleareletrica approved the Final Investment Decision to build an SMR plant in Romania using NuScale's technology. The project will deploy six 77-megawatt modules and is aiming for commercial operation in 2033.
For today's investors, however, waiting seven years could be asking a bit much, especially when NuScale is already burning cash and reporting losses. As such, NuScale is still a highly speculative stock best reserved for investors who can stomach volatility. Less aggressive investors may be better served by a nuclear energy exchange-traded fund (ETF).
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Steven Porrello has positions in Oklo. The Motley Fool recommends NuScale Power. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.