Trump’s Nuclear Order Ignites Uranium Stock Rally: NANO, UEC, Centrus Surge on Fuel Security Push

Key Highlights:

• Trump signs executive order invoking the Defense Production Act to secure U.S. uranium supply.
• NANO, UEC, Energy Fuels, NuScale, and Centrus Energy shares soar amid pro-nuclear sentiment.
• National emergency declared over reliance on Russia, China for enriched uranium.
• U.S. aims to fast-track reactor approvals and nuclear infrastructure development.

In a bold move to reassert U.S. energy independence, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping executive order Friday aimed at revitalizing the domestic nuclear power sector. The market responded swiftly and decisively, with uranium and nuclear infrastructure stocks rocketing higher across the board.

The executive order, as reported by Reuters and confirmed by administration insiders, declares a national emergency under the Cold War-era Defense Production Act. It targets America’s heavy reliance on foreign—particularly Russian and Chinese—sources for enriched uranium and other critical nuclear materials.

Trump’s order mandates several sweeping changes: streamlining of Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approvals, fast-tracking of reactor siting and development on federal lands, and a full-scale push by the Departments of Energy and Defense to bolster the entire nuclear fuel supply chain. Loan guarantees and direct financial support for reactor construction are also on the table.

Uranium Stocks Catch Fire

Leading the charge was NANO Nuclear Energy (NASDAQ: NNE), which surged 22.87% to $33.87 as investor enthusiasm for advanced modular reactor developers soared. The company, which is positioning itself as a key SMR (Small Modular Reactor) player, has already attracted federal interest and appears well-placed to benefit from policy support.

Uranium Energy Corp (NYSE: UEC) climbed 18.90% to $6.14 on heavy volume, as the Texas-based company’s domestic mining operations offer immediate relevance to Trump’s fuel independence drive. Energy Fuels Inc (NYSE: UUUU) also gained 12.44%, reflecting investor belief in its potential to ramp up U.S.-based uranium production.

Centrus Energy Corp (NYSE: LEU), one of the few U.S. companies actively enriching uranium, skyrocketed 22.39% to $114.03. Its role in producing high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU), key to next-gen reactors, puts it at the center of Trump’s envisioned nuclear supply chain revival.

NuScale Power Corp (NYSE: SMR), another SMR developer, rallied 14.63%, trading at $29.02. Analysts see it as a foundational name in what is being called the “AI Manhattan Project”—a reference to the anticipated explosion in energy demand from artificial intelligence infrastructure, which Trump also linked to nuclear power in his remarks.

The Broader Policy Shift

Energy Secretary Chris Wright echoed the urgency in a public statement, describing the initiative as “Manhattan Project 2.0” for modern energy independence. “Just as we led the world in nuclear technology once before, we are about to do it again—only smarter and cleaner,” Wright said.

With AI data centers driving unprecedented electricity demand and geopolitical tensions spotlighting vulnerabilities in energy sourcing, bipartisan consensus has quietly formed around nuclear power. Democrats praise its zero-emissions output, while Republicans value its reliability and scalability.

Trump’s order may also revive the long-stalled U.S. uranium enrichment infrastructure. Despite the Department of Energy receiving $3.4 billion in 2023 to reduce dependency on Russia, meaningful progress has been slow. Centrus’s gains reflect hopes that federal money will now be actively deployed.

Understanding the Fuel Cycle

For investors newly interested in uranium, understanding the nuclear fuel cycle is essential. This cycle begins with exploration and mining of uranium—often via in-situ leaching techniques—and proceeds to milling, where ore is refined into yellowcake (U₃O₈). The concentrate is then converted into uranium hexafluoride (UF₆), enriched to 3%-5% U-235 at specialized facilities, and fabricated into ceramic fuel pellets encased in metal rods.

These fuel rods are bundled into assemblies and loaded into reactors, where the controlled fission of U-235 produces energy. Once spent, these assemblies remain highly radioactive and must be stored under water or in dry casks for years. The U.S. currently lacks a permanent repository for high-level waste, underscoring the importance of addressing back-end challenges alongside front-end independence.

Spent nuclear fuel is currently stored onsite at reactors, pending the establishment of a long-delayed permanent disposal solution—a topic Trump has yet to address in detail.

While the nuclear renaissance has long been promised, the Trump administration’s latest executive order may finally be the catalyst needed to reenergize America’s atomic ambitions. Investors are already placing their bets.

With uranium stocks breaking out and nuclear policy suddenly in political vogue, Wall Street is recalibrating the future of energy. This time, the atom could be at the center of it.