A White House directive to place nuclear reactors on the Moon by 2030 is igniting a rally in specialized atomic energy stocks, creating a new frontier for the industry.
Shares of advanced nuclear technology companies surged Tuesday after the White House released federal guidance for deploying atomic reactors in space. The directive, which follows a December 2025 executive order by President Donald Trump, mandates establishing cost-effective partnerships with private companies to place a reactor on the Moon by 2030, with an orbital deployment slated for as early as 2028.
The guidance, detailed in a public release, calls for a whole-of-government approach to enabling private sector innovation with "multiple participants." NASA and the Department of Defense are directed to hold design competitions, with NASA expected to initiate a program for developing both propulsion and lunar surface reactors within 30 days.
The news sent shares of Oklo (OKLO), a developer of small modular reactors (SMRs), up 8.6% to close at $58.56. Fellow SMR-focused stocks also jumped, with NuScale Power (SMR) rising 7% and Nano Nuclear Energy (NNE) gaining 7.5%. BWX Technologies (BWXT), an established supplier of nuclear technology to the U.S. military and NASA, saw its stock advance 2.4% to $238.55.
This policy directive effectively creates a new, government-backed market for advanced nuclear companies, potentially de-risking private investment. The White House is directing the Department of Energy to assess the readiness of the U.S. industrial base to produce "up to four space reactors within five years." This 60-day assessment will identify and recommend solutions for any gaps in the supply chain, from reactor design to fuel production.
The primary beneficiaries of the directive are companies focused on next-generation nuclear designs, particularly SMRs. Unlike conventional gigawatt-scale reactors, SMRs are smaller (typically under 300 MWe), designed for factory fabrication, and can be deployed to remote locations—making them theoretically ideal for space and lunar applications. Oklo, NuScale Power, and Nano Nuclear Energy are all centered on developing and commercializing such technologies.
BWX Technologies is already positioned as a key incumbent, with existing contracts to supply nuclear components to NASA. The new guidance, which emphasizes competition, could open the door for newer entrants to secure government contracts for this nascent space-nuclear sector.
A critical component of the plan is the fuel supply. The guidance directs the Department ofEnergy to provide uranium for reactor fuel where "commercial sources are insufficient or unavailable." This likely refers to High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU), a type of fuel enriched to between 5% and 20% that is required by many advanced reactor designs but is not yet widely available commercially.
This provision could benefit uranium enrichers like Centrus Energy, which added 0.6% on the news. The broader supply chain, including uranium miners, also stands to gain. Cameco, which fell 0.6% on the day, has exposure to the reactor market through its 49% ownership stake in Westinghouse, a major builder that is also developing its own SMR technology. The government's focus on building a robust domestic supply chain could provide a significant long-term tailwind for the entire nuclear sector.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice.
