May 7 Could Change Everything for NuScale Power. Here Are 2 Reasons to Buy Now.

NuScale Power (NYSE: SMR) just revealed that its next quarterly earnings announcement will be held on May 7, 2026. This could be the biggest earnings announcement in years for the up-and-coming nuclear stock. But there's a catch. There are two things investors need to know.

1. NuScale Power may deliver critical project pipeline updates

NuScale Power specializes in a type of nuclear energy that involves small modular reactors (SMRs). According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, SMRs "are advanced nuclear reactors that have a power capacity of up to 300 MW(e) per unit, which is about one-third of the generating capacity of traditional nuclear power reactors." In short, they are smaller versions of more conventional nuclear plants that are -- at least on paper -- faster and cheaper to construct.

The idea of SMRs has been around for decades. "[W]hat are called SMRs cannot easily be distinguished from nuclear power plants that were built in the 1940s to 1960s, long before the SMR notion was invented," observes one industry analyst. But the concept is gaining new traction due to rising energy demand from AI data centers.

By some estimates, global spending on data centers could reach $7 trillion by 2030. That's a huge build-out for energy-intensive infrastructure over a very short period of time. That means new sources of electricity will be needed quickly to meet this rising demand for energy.

NuScale Power has already signed some promising contracts, like its utility-scale deal with ENTRA1 and the Tennessee Valley Authority. But it hasn't yet signed any major data center deals this year. Meanwhile, SMR competitor Oklo (NYSE: OKLO) already has some major data center deals booked.

NuScale has been pushing data center growth as a key pillar of its strategy. And any quarter now, we could receive rising real-world validation for these claims. A serious addition to its project pipeline would likely have a meaningful impact on the company's stock price.

Image source: Getty Images.

2. The story of SMR technology won't be measured in quarters

NuScale Power could reveal a major customer signing this quarter. Or the news could hit next quarter, or even next year. The story of NuScale Power's growth won't be measured in quarters or years, but decades.

Bank of America's Global Research team expects 18GW of new nuclear capacity to be added annually from 2025 through 2040. Most of this new capacity, however, will be large-scale nuclear power plants. SMR construction isn't expected to accelerate until 2035, with a total of 50GW of new SMR capacity added between 2025 and 2040.

In summary, this is a very long-term story. Buying before May 7 allows you to get in before any major project pipeline updates are released. But even if that catalyst doesn't arrive next month, buying now gets you in at a valuation of just $3.1 billion. There's a huge amount of adoption and execution risk remaining. But if you're willing to wait decades, NuScale Power has monster upside potential for patient shareholders.

Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Ryan Vanzo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends NuScale Power. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.