Vistra Surges 10.6% After DOE Confirms $4.2 Billion Loan for Nuclear Upgrades Tied to AI Demand

Vistra Corp. shares jumped 10.6% on Tuesday, hitting an intraday high of $162.69 and crossing above their 200-day moving average of $154.77, after the U.S. Department of Energy formally confirmed a conditional $4.2 billion loan commitment to expand and extend the operating life of nuclear plants in Pennsylvania and Ohio. The financing targets three facilities, Beaver Valley, Davis-Besse, and Perry, and will fund capacity uprates across Vistra's nuclear fleet sufficient to supply power to more than 3 million homes. The deal is expected to create roughly 3,000 project jobs and is aimed at meeting surging electricity demand from AI data centers within the 13-state PJM Interconnection grid.

The government loan, first reported on October 3, gained renewed market attention after the formal announcement on October 5, helping push VST higher alongside other AI-linked utilities including Constellation Energy, NRG Energy, and GE Vernova on Tuesday. Vistra's broader stock rebound has also drawn attention to a position attributed to Nancy Pelosi, who reportedly bought VST at $170 per share; the stock had fallen as low as $141 before the loan catalyst and was trading near $158 on the day the news circulated widely, still below that entry price. Zacks noted rising investor attention to the stock heading into the move, and MarketWatch flagged VST as outperforming its utility sector peers on the session.