Nuclear reactor company X-energy shares surge 34% as AI drives interest in the industry its IPO

In this article

Advanced nuclear reactor company X-energy

began trading Friday as the AI boom and electrification broadly spark a flurry of interest in the nuclear industry.

The stock opened at $30.11, after upsizing its initial offering, pricing at $23 per share — ahead of the initial range of $16 - $19 per share. The company raised more than $1 billion, making it the largest nuclear public offering on record. Shares last traded 34% higher.

The company’s xe-100 reactor is 80 megawatts, and can be bundled together with additional reactors to scale up to 960 megawatts. The xe-100′s model is a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor. In addition to generating electricity, its high temperatures mean it can be used in hard-to-decarbonize industrial applications such as chemical production.