5 No-Brainer Energy Stocks to Buy With $100 Right Now

Energy is the driving force that powers the economy. And with data centers and AI pushing electricity demands higher, the sector is set for a stretch of immense growth. If you're looking to profit off that surge, here are five energy stocks worth a $100 investment. Image source: Getty Images. 1. Vistra Vistra ( VST 0.58%) is one of the largest competitive power generators in the U.S. It provides electricity through a diversified fleet of generation assets -- including coal, solar, natural gas, and nuclear -- to around 5 million customers across 20 states. For Vistra, the emphasis is on competitive. Unlike regulated utilities, which earn a set rate of return approved by regulators, Vistra sells electricity directly into competitive wholesale markets. This means it can benefit from market spikes and higher demand for electricity. On the flip side, it also means Vistra doesn't have guaranteed revenue, which makes its earnings more volatile than traditional utilities stocks . The growth thesis is simple: Because electricity is spiking in some of Vistra's primary markets, including the Mid-Atlantic and Texas, driven in part by the rapid buildout of data centers, the company is in an enviable position to profit when prices for power move higher. 2. Enbridge Enbridge ( ENB +0.15%) is a powerhouse of North American energy infrastructure. Not only does it move about 30% of the crude oil produced in North America, but it also operates the longest oil and liquids pipeline in the world. Fun fact: Enbridge's pipeline network is long enough to circle the Earth more than once. But that's not the only fun fact I'm referring to here. Another is that the company has raised its dividend for 31 consecutive years. The 3% hike (in Canadian dollars) takes the quarterly dividend to CA$0.97 per share, or roughly CA$3.88 annually. This makes it ideal for dividend investors who are willing to trade explosive upside for steady dividend growth. 3. Oklo Oklo ( OKLO 0.64%) is a high-growth nuclear start-up that's designing microreactors. And not just any microreactor, but one with a "powerhouse" design that seems like the perfect fit for AI data centers. Indeed, Sam Altman has been an early backer of Oklo and was once the board chair. Hype around the company's potential has sent the stock soaring in 2025, with shares trading above $190 at one time, representing a monstrous 787% gain on the year. Since about mid-October, however, the nuclear stock has come back down to Earth, though shares are still up more than 300% over the past year. For interested investors, the big caveat right now is Oklo's pre-commercial status. The company has big plans but no revenue to show for it. It doesn't have an operating reactor, nor a license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to deploy its powerhouses at scale. And while it is working toward gaining that license, cash burn in the meantime will chip away at its roughly $1.2 billion liquidity. As such, the company is a speculative play on...

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