Constellation Energy (CEG +4.66%) stock was true to its name on Wednesday, as investors energetically traded it almost 5% higher. This was part of a broader rally in nuclear stocks, on the back of a splashy deal signed between the U.S. government and a key ally, plus reports of a new top-down initiative to spur power plant build-outs in this country.
The Saudi deal
The Trump administration announced Wednesday that it had signed a long-term deal to help develop nuclear technology with Saudi Arabia. The 30-year pact formalizes nuclear cooperation between the two nations and pushes several U.S. energy companies into leading roles in build-outs in the strategic Middle Eastern country.
Image source: Getty Images.
It's important to note that Constellation isn't likely to be one of the main companies involved in the work, as its concentration is on domestic energy generation. Yet as the No. 1 operator of American nuclear plants, it could serve in an advisory or training capacity.
Besides, the government's striking this deal is yet another strong indication of its desire to promote and support the nuclear power industry.
NASDAQ: CEG
Key Data Points
Continued domestic push
Separately, Bloomberg reported that the administration is also planning to launch a new, $200 million program to support the construction of power plants within our borders. A key goal of this initiative, not surprisingly, is to satisfy the considerable power needs of artificial intelligence (AI)-ready data centers.
As nuclear plants produce considerable clean power, they are considered ideal facilities for such a push.
The Bloomberg article, which cited a document its reporters had seen, mentioned small modluar reactor (SMR) specialists Oklo and X-Energy as participants on the energy industry side, and Microsoft and Nvidia as partners from the tech sector.
Constellation was not mentioned in the article, as it operates full-scale nuclear facilities and not SMRs. Even if it doesn't end up playing a role in the program, it's sure to benefit from this latest top-down effort to boost the nation's power-generating capacity.
