NuScale Power Corporation (NASDAQ: SMR) is pushing its small modular reactor technology as a direct solution for energy-intensive industries struggling with an increasingly unreliable and congested electrical grid.
Behind-the-meter generation means producing electricity at or near a customer’s own facility, rather than depending on public transmission networks for supply.
For data centers, manufacturers and hydrogen producers, this model is gaining urgency because it offers direct access to power exactly where operations demand it most.
Traditional grid connections can take years to complete due to transmission upgrades and interconnection delays that show no sign of accelerating.
Extreme weather events, surging AI-related power demand and peak-load volatility are further eroding confidence in the reliability of centralized grid infrastructure.
By placing generation closer to the load, companies can reduce their exposure to grid-related disruptions and keep critical operations running with fewer external dependencies.
NuScale is targeting this opportunity through its relationship with ENTRA1 Energy, focusing on data centers, industrial facilities and other mission-critical operations that require dedicated, scalable power.
For NuScale, the commercial proposition extends beyond selling electricity, positioning the company as a partner helping customers secure dependable power to support long-term growth.
NuScale is not alone in pursuing this market, with Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) expanding its behind-the-meter role by supplying fuel cell systems that generate power directly at customer sites.
FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ: FCEL) is also targeting data centers with packaged power blocks designed to provide steady onsite electricity in locations where grid capacity remains severely limited.
Despite the strategic momentum behind its SMR positioning, shares of NuScale have lost 45% over the past six months, reflecting ongoing investor caution around the company’s commercialization timeline.
NuScale currently holds an average brokerage recommendation of 2.56 on a scale of 1 to 5, based on actual recommendations from 18 brokerage firms, and carries a Zacks Rank of Hold.
