The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized a $1.5 billion loan to Wabash Valley Resources, LLC, supporting the restart and repurposing of a coal gasification plant in West Terre Haute, Indiana. The facility, which has been idle since 2016, will be converted to produce 500,000 metric tons of anhydrous ammonia fertilizer per year using coal from a nearby Southern Indiana mine and petroleum coke as feedstock.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the loan, emphasizing its role in reducing American reliance on imported fertilizer. “For too long, America has been dependent on foreign sources of fertilizer,” said Wright. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are changing that by putting America first, relying on American coal, American workers, and American innovation to power our farms and feed our families.”
The project aims to supply ammonia fertilizer for farmers across the Corn Belt—a region currently sourcing much of its fertilizer from Canada, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Russia. By bringing production back online domestically, DOE expects the initiative to strengthen supply chains within the United States and lower costs for both farmers and consumers.
According to DOE statements, this effort is also expected to create hundreds of jobs in the region while supporting national food security by providing cost-competitive ammonia for agricultural producers in the Eastern Corn Belt.
The financial close marks the second loan completed under DOE’s Energy Dominance Financing Program (EDF), part of broader legislative efforts such as the Working Families Tax Cut or One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The loan was evaluated under new guidance issued by Secretary Wright.
Wright stated that this move delivers on administration promises “to responsibly steward taxpayer dollars and unleash American energy dominance.” He added that today’s announcement demonstrates DOE’s commitment to “achieving President Trump’s national security and energy dominance goals by securing domestic fertilizer supply for farmers in the Corn Belt and ensuring the American people’s access to reliable, abundant, and affordable energy.”
