In a bold move that could define the future of clean energy in America, a US company is planning to transform a retired coal mine into a cutting-edge nuclear fusion power plant. Type One Energy, a pioneering fusion technology firm, has announced plans to build the Infinity Two power plant at the site of a former coal facility, marking a significant milestone in the transition from fossil fuels to sustainable energy sources.
The Infinity Two Project: A New Era of Clean Energy
The ambitious project centers on Type One Energy’s Infinity Two power plant, a 350-megawatt (MWe) facility that will utilize advanced stellarator fusion technology. This isn’t just another renewable energy project—it’s a fundamental shift in how we think about repurposing existing energy infrastructure. The facility is planned to be built at the Tennessee Valley Authority’s (TVA) retired Bull Run Fossil Plant in Clinton, Tennessee, a site that once consumed a staggering 7,200 tons of coal per day during its operation.
According to TVA, the stellarator technology represents “the only fusion technology to have shown stable, high-efficiency, steady-state operation.” This stability is crucial for practical energy generation, as it allows for continuous power production—a significant advantage over other fusion approaches that may require periodic shutdowns.
Why Stellarator Technology?
Unlike the more commonly known tokamak fusion reactors, stellarator technology offers several distinct advantages. The complex, three-dimensional magnetic coil design of stellarators eliminates the need for large circulating currents in the plasma, resulting in better efficiency and easier steady-state operation. This design choice makes the technology particularly suitable for baseload power generation—the kind of consistent, reliable electricity that communities depend on around the clock.
Type One Energy’s approach builds on decades of research, notably the success of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Germany, which demonstrated stable plasma confinement at scale. By leveraging high-performance computing and advanced materials, the company has developed a design that addresses many of the historical challenges with stellarator construction.
A Partnership for the Future
The collaboration between Type One Energy and TVA represents a unique public-private partnership in the clean energy sector. The Tennessee Valley Authority, a federally owned utility established in 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, and economic development to the Tennessee Valley region, brings decades of experience in large-scale power generation and grid integration.
This partnership extends beyond just site selection. TVA will collaborate with Type One Energy on siting studies, environmental reviews, and licensing processes for the Infinity Two facility. The project is part of a broader initiative called “Project Infinity,” which was launched in early 2024 with support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Milestones and Timeline
Type One Energy has already achieved significant milestones in the development of the Infinity Two project. In May 2025, the company successfully completed the first formal design review of the fusion power plant, marking a crucial step toward commercial deployment.
The timeline for the project is ambitious but realistic, with the commercial facility expected to be operational by the mid-2030s. This places the Infinity Two project in direct competition with other commercial fusion initiatives globally, though its unique approach to site utilization gives it a distinctive advantage in terms of infrastructure readiness.
The Significance of Converting Coal Sites
The transformation of retired coal facilities into clean energy sources represents more than just a technical achievement—it’s a symbolic shift in America’s energy landscape. As the nation grapples with both climate change and economic transition in former coal communities, projects like Infinity Two offer a path forward that preserves jobs while dramatically reducing environmental impact.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
- Job preservation: Converting existing facilities can maintain employment in communities that have historically depended on fossil fuel industries
- Infrastructure efficiency: Utilizing existing transmission lines, roads, and other infrastructure reduces both construction costs and environmental disruption
- Environmental remediation: Replacing coal-burning facilities eliminates significant carbon emissions and other pollutants
- Economic revitalization: Advanced technology projects can attract high-skilled jobs and investment to these regions
Fusion energy offers nearly 4 million times more energy than fossil fuel combustion and four times more per kilogram of fuel, making it an incredibly efficient power source. Unlike coal plants, fusion facilities produce no carbon emissions during operation and generate only short-lived radioactive waste that becomes safe within decades rather than millennia.
Challenges and Considerations
Despite the promising advances, several challenges remain. The technical complexity of stellarator construction, while addressed by Type One Energy’s innovations, still requires precision manufacturing and advanced materials. The project’s funding structure and cost estimates have not been fully disclosed, though the involvement of TVA suggests significant institutional backing.
Additionally, regulatory approval for novel fusion technology requires careful navigation of existing nuclear regulations, even though fusion presents significantly different safety risks than fission reactors. The partnership between Type One Energy and TVA, along with support from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, positions the project well to address these challenges.
Broader Energy Transition Context
This project aligns with broader Department of Energy initiatives to explore coal-to-clean energy conversions. A DOE study found that hundreds of coal power plant sites across the country could potentially be converted to nuclear power plant sites, preserving jobs while advancing clean energy goals.
The coal-to-nuclear transition could preserve hundreds of jobs that would otherwise be lost and lead to the creation of new jobs, economic opportunities, and improved public health outcomes in energy communities. The Infinity Two project serves as a proof-of-concept for this approach, potentially paving the way for similar conversions nationwide.
Looking Toward the Future
The Infinity Two project represents more than just technological innovation—it’s a model for how the United States can approach its energy transition. By literally transforming the physical legacy of fossil fuel dependence into a source of clean, limitless energy, Type One Energy and TVA are demonstrating that the future of energy doesn’t require abandoning the past, but rather repurposing it intelligently.
As the project moves toward construction in the coming years, it will be watched closely by energy experts, policymakers, and communities grappling with similar transitions. If successful, the Infinity Two facility could serve as a template for converting other retired fossil fuel sites into clean energy generators, accelerating America’s transition to a sustainable energy future.
The implications extend beyond just electricity generation. This project demonstrates how technological innovation can address multiple societal challenges simultaneously—climate change, economic transition, and energy security. As fusion energy moves from laboratory curiosity to commercial reality, projects like Infinity Two will likely define how this transformative technology integrates into our existing energy infrastructure.
With the first commercial contracts for Project Infinity signed in July 2025 and design reviews completed, the path to operational fusion power in Tennessee appears increasingly clear. Whether this timeline will be met remains to be seen, but the foundational work is progressing as planned, bringing the promise of fusion energy ever closer to reality.
Sources
U.S. Department of Energy – Fusion Energy Sciences
Tennessee Valley Authority Official Website
U.S. Department of Energy – Coal Plant Conversion Studies
Type One Energy Official Website
Global Energy Monitor – Bull Run Fossil Plant
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