Nuclear energy has seen a hot start to 2026, benefiting from robust government support, significant backing from Big Tech, and a growing trend among states and countries to commit to adding gigawatts of carbon-free capacity.
The VettaFi Nuclear Renaissance Index is up 14% year-to-date as of January 28, significantly outperforming the S&P 500, which has risen about 2% in the same period. This follows a staggering 58% rally for the nuclear index in 2025.
At VettaFi’s Winter Symposium on January 29, Stacey Morris, head of energy research at VettaFi discussed how nuclear energy is currently transitioning from a traditional utility play into a high-growth technology enabler.
The sector has been lifted by massive capital infusions, including a $2.7 billion Department of Energy award for uranium enrichment, Morris said. In the private sector, Meta signed a 20-year agreement with Vistra for over 2.6 gigawatts (GW) of power and partnered with Oklo to help finance a 1.2 GW small modular reactor (SMR) project in Ohio.
“I think what’s most important for people to realize in the U.S. is that nuclear enjoys really unique bipartisan support,” Morris said. This has led to continued policy momentum at the federal level across recent administrations. The same cannot be said for renewables or fossil fuels.
Under the Hood of VettaFi's Nuclear Energy Index
The VettaFi Nuclear Renaissance Index (NUKZX) focuses on maximizing risk-adjusted returns by diversifying across construction and services, utilities, fuel, and advanced reactors. To manage volatility, Morris explained that pre-revenue and pure-play companies are capped at 10%, while exposure to the idiosyncratic risks of uranium mining is minimized. This strategy often allows the index to remain more resilient during sell-offs compared to peers heavily weighted in early-stage SMR firms.
For advisors, the Range Nuclear Renaissance ETF (NUKZ ) offers a single-ticker solution to capture the entire supply chain. Furthermore, traditional asset allocators are increasingly adding NUKZ alongside broader energy holdings as they recognize nuclear’s essential role in providing the global grid with reliable, emission-free power.
Additionally, there are also advisors who are using NUKZ as a satellite allocation around their AI exposure. These advisors acknowledge that as demand for AI increases, global energy demand will also increase.
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vettafi.com is owned by VettaFi LLC (“VettaFi”). VettaFi is the index provider for NUKZ, for which it receives an index licensing fee. However, NUKZ is not issued, sponsored, endorsed, or sold by VettaFi. VettaFi has no obligation or liability in connection with the issuance, administration, marketing, or trading of NUKZ.
