The Best 3 Nuclear Energy Stocks to Buy and Hold for Decades

Nuclear energy is making a powerful comeback. As demand for energy surges, driven by cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, nuclear energy stands out as a clean, dependable baseload power source the world needs.

Top technology companies are embracing nuclear energy. Meanwhile, there is global support to expand nuclear energy capabilities, with countries committed to tripling nuclear capacity by 2050. With strong tailwinds behind the industry, here are three rock-solid nuclear energy stocks you can confidently buy and hold for decades.

1. Cameco is a North American miner with exposure to the nuclear value chain

Cameco (CCJ 3.77%) is uniquely positioned as one of the largest providers of uranium and nuclear fuel products with operations in North America. The company has a robust asset base, including investments in high-grade mines in Canada, such as McArthur River and Cigar Lake, as well as mills such as Key Lake. It also holds a 40% stake in Joint Venture Inkai, one of the world’s largest uranium deposits, located in Kazakhstan.

Outside of mining, Cameco also has investments across the nuclear fuel value chain and nuclear energy infrastructure. The company operates the Blind River refinery in Ontario, the world’s largest commercial uranium refinery. In addition, it holds a 49% ownership stake in Westinghouse Electric Company, the original equipment manufacturer for about 50% of the global nuclear reactor fleet.

The miner has a backlog of contracts that lock in future revenue, so it doesn’t rely on the volatile spot market but still maintains some exposure to rising prices. As older price contracts roll off, the company is capturing greater upside as uranium prices rise. The company has commitments to deliver 230 million pounds of uranium, and the contracts guarantee an average annual delivery of about 28 million pounds over the next five years.

Cameco is well-positioned as a major uranium miner with high-grade assets and long-term contracts that secure future revenue. Its position as a top miner in North America, along with its stake in Westinghouse Electric, provides it with exposure to the ongoing nuclear energy buildout, making it a top nuclear stock for investors to buy and hold long-term.

2. GE Vernova’s power equipment includes small modular reactors

GE Vernova (GEV 0.85%) is a major power equipment provider with an installed base of equipment that generates roughly 25% of the world’s electricity. Its massive scale provides it with an opportunity for highly profitable service contracts that generate long-term, recurring revenue. In 2026, it entered the year with $150 billion in remaining performance obligations, of which $86 billion is from long-term service contracts.

The company has a small but growing nuclear energy business within its broader power segment. It sees nuclear energy as a foundational carbon-free baseload power source of the future and looks to advance this with its small modular reactor technology, BWRX-300. Its nuclear power business unit grew 24% last year, with full-year revenue topping $1 billion.

GE Vernova’s nuclear technology development is a drag on its power segment’s overall margins right now, as it incurs additional expenses to support heavy research and development and engineering investments. The company is engaging in discussions with utility providers, hyperscale customers, and projects where SMRs will meaningfully contribute to revenue in the 2030s.

Given its strong market position in power equipment and its budding nuclear energy business, GE Vernova is another excellent nuclear energy stock to buy and hold for decades.

3. BWX Technologies is a crucial partner for the U.S. government

BWX Technologies (BWXT 1.47%) doesn’t own or operate nuclear power plants. Instead, it manufactures the complex, specialized equipment and fuel required to make nuclear power and nuclear medicine work. Its primary revenue stream comes from providing engineering, design, and manufacturing services for nuclear reactors and nuclear fuel that power U.S. Navy submarines and aircraft carriers.

What makes BWX compelling is its position as a trusted government contractor and its expanding commercial business. As part of its work with the U.S. government, the company performs sensitive nuclear tasks, including re-establishing domestic uranium enrichment capabilities for national defense. On top of that, its subsidiary, Nuclear Fuel Services, is the sole provider of nuclear fuel for the U.S. Navy.

In addition, it has a rapidly growing commercial segment serving the energy and medical industries. It is the only commercial manufacturer of heavy nuclear components, such as massive steam generators and pressure vessels, in North America. It also specializes in manufacturing radioactive isotopes used by pharmaceutical companies to diagnose and treat cancer.

BWX Technologies is uniquely positioned as a trusted partner of the U.S. government, with defense contracts that provide it with a steady stream of long-term revenue. Meanwhile, the growing demand for nuclear energy provides an upside as it expands commercially, making it another excellent nuclear energy stock to hold for the long haul.