TLDR
- The Trump administration plans to offer Vistra Corp a roughly $4 billion loan package.
- The money would upgrade three nuclear plants, two in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania.
- Energy Secretary Chris Wright may announce the deal as soon as Monday at the Perry nuclear complex.
- VST stock dropped to a session low of $135.79 before recovering to trade near $139.20.
- Vistra supplies power to PJM Interconnection, the largest US grid, which serves about 67 million people.
Vistra Corp (NYSE: VST) stock moved on Friday after a Bloomberg report said the Trump administration is preparing a roughly $4 billion loan package for the company. The stock fell to a session low of $135.79 before trimming losses to trade near $139.20, down about 0.3% on the day.
The loan would fund upgrades at three of Vistra’s nuclear plants. Two are in Ohio, and one is in Pennsylvania.
According to people familiar with the matter, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright could announce the funding as early as Monday. The announcement is expected to take place during a visit to the Perry nuclear complex northeast of Cleveland.
Neither the Energy Department nor Vistra responded immediately to requests for comment.
Why the Government Wants More Nuclear Power
Electricity demand is climbing fast. Data centers need constant power, and that is pushing grid operators to look for new sources of supply.
The Trump administration has set a goal of quadrupling US nuclear capacity by 2050. Upgrading plants that already exist is one of the fastest ways to get there.
Building brand new reactors takes years. Permitting alone can drag on, and construction costs run high.
That is why expansions at existing sites, like the ones planned for Vistra, matter so much right now. They offer a quicker path to more megawatts.
The exact size of the planned expansions has not been made public yet. Reports have not detailed how much extra capacity the three plants could add.
Vistra’s Role in the Power Grid
Vistra is a major supplier to PJM Interconnection, the biggest grid operator in the country. PJM covers a stretch of territory from Illinois all the way to Washington, D.C.
That grid serves about 67 million people. It has also been under pressure lately, struggling to keep up with the demand data centers are placing on it.
The White House views nuclear expansion as a way to ease that pressure. Officials also see it as a path to cheaper electricity that can support manufacturing and broader economic growth.
Before the Bloomberg report broke, Vistra stock was trading near $137. The stock swung lower initially on the news, then clawed back some of that move by the afternoon.
Investing.com reported the same loan details, citing people who were not authorized to speak publicly. Both outlets described the loan as tied specifically to the Perry complex and the two other plants in the upgrade plan.
As of Friday afternoon, VST was changing hands around $139.20, down roughly 0.3% for the session.
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