Financial commentators recommend nuclear energy ETFs as a hedge on AI data center boom's baseload power demand.

The rapid expansion of artificial intelligence data centers is reshaping global electricity demand. Gartner projects that global data center electricity consumption will rise from 448 terawatt-hours in 2025 to 980 TWh by 2030, with AI-optimized servers doubling their share of total data center power consumption during that period.

This unprecedented surge in power demand is reviving nuclear energy as a critical solution. BloombergNEF projects global nuclear capacity will climb 44% over the next decade, reaching 535 gigawatts by 2036.

Nuclear energy has emerged as the power source of choice for AI data centers because it provides reliable, 24/7 baseload power—unlike intermittent renewables. This reliability is driving massive corporate commitments from hyperscalers funding AI infrastructure.

Meta has secured 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear power through deals with Vistra (VST), TerraPower, and Oklo. Constellation Energy (CEG) is restarting Three Mile Island's Unit 1 under a 20-year agreement with Microsoft, aiming to restore 835 megawatts to the grid by 2027.

Regulatory support is accelerating nuclear expansion across the United States. The Trump administration is actively pushing for new reactor construction, exemplified by a landmark 30-year, multi-billion-dollar civilian nuclear agreement signed between the United States and Saudi Arabia in July. This agreement opens the door for U.S. companies to build Saudi Arabia's nuclear infrastructure, including potential uranium enrichment capabilities.

The AI data center boom is transforming nuclear energy from a stagnant sector into one attracting billions of dollars in investment, supported by long-term contracts and growing political backing. This positions nuclear as one of the defining energy stories of the decade.