Vistra Corp. (VST) closed at $153.99, up 1.45%, outperforming the S&P 500. The company is set to report earnings on November 6, 2026, with projected EPS of $2.89 (up 65.14% YoY) and revenue of $7.76 billion (up 56.19% YoY). However, the stock carries a Zacks Rank of #5 (Strong Sell) due to a 1.88% downward revision in consensus EPS projections over the past 30 days. The stock trades at a Forward P/E of 16.79, slightly below its industry average of 17.16.

AI data centers face a significant electricity shortage, with the U.S. alone projected to have a 32-gigawatt shortfall by 2028. The article identifies seven stocks positioned to benefit from this power crisis: utility companies with nuclear capabilities (Constellation Energy, NextEra Energy, Vistra), equipment manufacturers for power generation and management (GE Vernova, Bloom Energy, Eaton, Vertiv). These companies are capitalizing on growing demand for alternative power solutions and energy-efficient infrastructure.

The U.S. Department of Energy announced a $4.2 billion conditional loan commitment to Vistra to expand power capacity at three nuclear plants in the PJM Interconnection region. The funding will add 433 megawatts of clean baseload capacity to meet surging electricity demand from AI data centers. Despite the positive development, Vistra stock remains down 23% over the past year but now trades at a more attractive valuation of 18.5x forward earnings with projected 18% annual earnings growth.

With data center electricity demand projected to grow 24% annually through 2030, Vistra and GE Vernova are positioned to capitalize on the power supply gap. Vistra's adjusted operating profit grew over 30% year-over-year despite a 19% stock decline, while GE Vernova boasts a $176 billion backlog with data center orders more than doubling. Both stocks trade at high valuations but analysts project robust earnings growth of 34-36% annually.

Google and Constellation Energy signed a landmark 3.59 GW power purchase agreement worth $4.3 billion in nuclear upgrades, highlighting a structural renaissance in the nuclear industry driven by AI data center demand. The deal exemplifies a broader trend of tech hyperscalers securing long-term nuclear power contracts, reshaping valuations across the nuclear supply chain and making nuclear ETFs attractive investment vehicles.

The article analyzes four nuclear reactor stocks and their potential valuations by 2031. Oklo, NuScale Power, and Nano Nuclear Energy face significant execution risks with current stock prices appearing to price in substantial post-2031 growth. BWX Technologies, a more established supplier with existing revenue, carries less commercialization risk but trades at a premium valuation with limited upside room.

Vistra Corp. (VST) declined 6.35% to $156.14, significantly underperforming the S&P 500's 0.47% loss. Despite strong earnings growth projections (65.14% EPS increase expected), the stock received a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) rating due to a 1.88% downward revision in consensus EPS estimates over the past 30 days. The company trades at a Forward P/E of 18.44, above its industry average of 16.96.

Constellation Energy signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Google for 890 MW of new nuclear capacity and a 15-year supply deal for 2,700 MW of existing generation. The agreements support over $4.3 billion in nuclear upgrades and provide revenue certainty, strengthening CEG's long-term growth prospects amid rising AI-driven electricity demand.

The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight Utilities ETF (RSPU) has received a Zacks ETF Rank of 5 (Strong Sell) and is not recommended for investors seeking utilities exposure. The ETF has underperformed with a 0.62% loss year-to-date and 4.29% decline over the past year. Better alternatives include Vanguard Utilities Index Fund ETF Shares (VPU) and State Street Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU), which offer lower expense ratios and significantly larger asset bases.

Several stocks surged following major announcements: AMD rose 2.8% on plans to boost chip production in 2027 for AI demand. Constellation Energy jumped 12.3% after Google signed a $4.3 billion nuclear power deal. Option Care Health soared 32.7% on acquisition news from McKesson and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice. Vistra Corp. gained 10.8% after the Department of Energy committed $4.2 billion for nuclear facility upgrades.

Centrus Energy shares surged 8.8% to $153.88 following a definitive multi-year contract to supply High-Assay Low-Enriched Uranium (HALEU) to Antares Nuclear. The rally was supported by broader industry sentiment strengthened by Google-Constellation Energy's nuclear capacity agreement and Vistra's $4.2 billion DOE loan commitment. However, earnings estimate revisions have remained flat over 30 days, which may limit further upside momentum.

The Department of Energy announced a $4.2 billion loan commitment to Vistra to extend and upgrade three nuclear plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio, preserving 4 GW of power and adding 433 MW of new capacity. This deal is part of Trump's broader initiative to quadruple U.S. nuclear capacity to 400 GW by 2050. Meta has already signed a 20-year power purchase agreement with Vistra for 2,609 MW from these plants, highlighting how existing reactor owners are positioned to benefit most from the nuclear renaissance driven by AI energy demands.