Groowe Groowe BETA / Newsroom
⏱ News is delayed by 15 minutes. Sign in for real-time access. Sign in

U.S. Nuclear Capacity Expansion Set to Unlock $57B in Investment Through 2035, Fueled by Uprates, SMRs and Reactor Restarts

globenewswire.com
CEG Constellation Energy is mentioned as a company covered in a report on U.S. nuclear capacity expansion, indicating its involvement in the sector. The article does not provide specific sentiment towards the company's performance or prospects. VST Vistra Corp. is listed as a company covered in a report analyzing the U.S. nuclear capacity expansion market. The article does not offer specific sentiment regarding Vistra's performance or future outlook. META Meta Platforms is mentioned as a potential buyer category in the U.S. nuclear capacity expansion market. The article does not provide specific sentiment or details about Meta's direct involvement or investment in nuclear energy. OKLO Oklo Inc. is identified as a company involved in Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) and is covered in the report. The article mentions Oklo in the context of SMR technology landscape and company profiles, but without specific sentiment. NEE NextEra Energy is listed as one of the companies covered in the report on U.S. nuclear capacity expansion. The article does not provide specific sentiment or details about NextEra's current or future involvement in nuclear projects.

U.S. Nuclear Capacity Expansion Set to Unlock $57B in Investment Through 2035, Fueled by Uprates, SMRs and Reactor Restarts Dublin, Sept. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- "U.S. Nuclear Capacity Expansion Market: $57B Investment Outlook Across Uprates, SMRs & Restarts (2025-2035)" has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The U.S. nuclear capacity expansion market is projected to represent an estimated $57 billion investment opportunity through 2035 as the industry enters its first multi-pathway growth cycle in four decades. A new market intelligence report compares the primary pathways expected to drive U.S. nuclear energy capacity additions: nuclear fleet uprates, reactor restarts and small modular reactors (SMRs). New large-scale reactor construction is also assessed as part of the longer-term market outlook.

The report evaluates each nuclear expansion pathway according to capital cost per kilowatt, development timeline, regulatory readiness and evidence quality. Its findings indicate that nuclear fleet uprates could deliver 39% to 50% of projected near-term capacity additions while accounting for less than one-quarter of total capital expenditure. Based on demonstrated project costs, uprates may provide a two- to fourfold capital efficiency advantage over SMR deployment at current projected first-of-a-kind costs.

A central finding is the evidence imbalance influencing nuclear energy investment decisions. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory Annual Technology Baseline incorporates 35 bottom-up cost estimates for advanced reactor designs, despite the absence of completed commercial SMR projects in the United States. By comparison, open-source research provides limited systematic analysis of nuclear uprate costs, even though the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has approved 172 uprate projects that collectively added approximately 8 GW of generating capacity over five decades.

The U.S. nuclear capacity expansion market is assessed across three investment scenarios. The conservative scenario estimates $24 billion to $34 billion in capital expenditure supporting approximately 7 GW of capacity. The base scenario projects $45 billion to $70 billion for 12 GW, while the optimistic scenario forecasts $72 billion to $123 billion for up to 18 GW.

Market estimates are based on announced nuclear projects, NRC pipeline data, federal targets, Reuters Events and Bloomberg Intelligence analysis, and International Energy Agency projections. The assessment also incorporates Executive Order 14302, issued in May 2025, which directs the U.S. Department of Energy to facilitate 5 GW of nuclear power uprates by 2030.

Key Report Findings

The report segments the nuclear expansion market by pathway, deployment timeline and buyer category, including regulated utilities, competitive generators, hyperscale technology companies and independent developers. It also provides a time-sequenced capital allocation framework for investors evaluating proven and emerging nuclear technologies.

Companies covered include Constellation Energy, Vistra Corp., Meta Platforms, Alva Energy, TerraPower, Oklo, NuScale Power, GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy, Westinghouse Electric, Holtec International, Tennessee Valley Authority and NextEra Energy. The research includes 10 charts and figures, eight data tables, 12 company profiles and a detailed methodology appendix that grades evidence from completed projects through unvalidated company claims.

Key Questions Addressed

Intended Audience

By combining market sizing, cost benchmarking, regulatory analysis and company-level intelligence, the report provides a comprehensive framework for evaluating U.S. nuclear energy investment opportunities through 2035.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Executive Summary

1.1 Key Findings

1.2 Market Size and Scenario Summary

1.3 The Evidence Asymmetry: Why This Report Exists

2. The Comparative Framework: How to Read This Report

2.1 Market Definition and Scope

2.2 What's Included and Excluded

2.3 Evidence Grading Methodology

3. Market Thesis: The Undervalued Pathway

3.1 Core Thesis Statement

3.2 The Cost Data Asymmetry

3.3 Why the Narrative Favors SMRs Despite the Evidence

3.4 Implications for Capital Allocation

4. Pathway Analysis: Uprates

4.1 Technical Overview: MUR, Stretch, and Extended Power Uprates

4.2 Historical Track Record: 172 Approved Uprates, 8 GW Added

4.3 Cost Analysis Disaggregated

4.4 The Limerick Case: What $2.4B Actually Buys

4.5 The Alva Energy Model: Venture-Backed Uprating as a New Category

4.6 NRC Regulatory Pathway and Resource Constraints

4.7 Uprate Capacity Ceiling: Fleet Limitations

5. Pathway Analysis: Reactor Restarts

5.1 Technical and Regulatory Framework

5.2 Active Projects: Crane, Palisades, Duane Arnold

5.3 Cost Analysis

5.4 Restart Pipeline and Candidacy Assessment

6. Pathway Analysis: Small Modular Reactors

6.1 Technology Landscape: NuScale, TerraPower, Oklo, X-energy, BWRX-300

6.2 Cost Analysis: FOAK Reality vs. NOAK Projections

6.3 The NuScale CFPP Lesson: Only U.S. Datapoint

6.4 Vendor Pipeline and Deployment Timelines

6.5 When SMR Economics May Prove Out: The 2033+ Horizon

7. Pathway Analysis: New Large Reactors

7.1 Vogtle Lessons

7.2 VC Summer and AP1000 Reorder Prospects

7.3 Role in Long-Term Expansion (2035+)

8. Head-to-Head Comparison

8.1 Cost per Kilowatt: Demonstrated vs. Projected

8.2 Timeline to Operation: Months vs. Years vs. Decades

8.3 Regulatory Readiness: Amendments vs. New Licenses

8.4 Evidence Quality: Completed Projects vs. Engineering Models vs. Company Claims

8.5 Scalability: Bounded Fleet vs. Unlimited Greenfield

9. Market Sizing and Forecast

9.1 Methodology: Three-Method Triangulation

9.2 Base Case: 12 GW / $57B (2025-2035)

9.3 Scenario Analysis: Conservative, Base, Optimistic

9.4 Year-by-Year Projections by Pathway

9.5 Capital Expenditure Allocation by Pathway

10. Market Segmentation

10.1 By Pathway Type (with CapEx Allocation)

10.2 By Buyer Category (Hyperscalers, Utilities, Generators, Developers)

10.3 By Deployment Timeline (2025-2028, 2028-2032, 2032-2035)

11. Competitive Landscape

11.1 Market Structure: Utilities, OEMs, Developers, and New Entrants

11.2 Competitive Positioning Map

11.3 Recent Deals and Capital Commitments

11.4 Emerging Players and Disruptors

12. Company Profiles

12.1 Constellation Energy

12.2 Vistra Corp

12.3 GE Vernova Hitachi Nuclear Energy

12.4 Westinghouse Electric Company

12.5 Holtec International

12.6 NuScale Power

12.7 TerraPower

12.8 Oklo Inc.

12.9 Alva Energy

12.10 NextEra Energy

12.11 Tennessee Valley Authority

12.12 Meta Platforms

13. Growth Drivers and Headwinds

13.1 Growth Drivers

13.2 Headwinds

14. Policy and Regulatory Environment

14.1 Executive Orders 14299-14302: What They Do and Don't Guarantee

14.2 NRC Reform and Reorganization

14.3 DOE Loan Programs Office: Nuclear Prioritization

15. Methodology

15.1 Sizing Methodology: Three-Method Triangulation

15.2 Evidence Grading Framework

15.3 Data Sources and Quality Assessment

15.4 Assumptions Register

16. Data Tables and Source Index

A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/487h58

About ResearchAndMarkets.com

ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.