Commonwealth Fusion Systems, a start-up founded by scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said on Tuesday that it planned to build its first fusion power plant in Virginia, with the aim of generating zero-emissions electricity there in the early 2030s.

The proposed facility is among the first to be announced that would harness nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun, to produce power commercially, a long-elusive goal that scientists have pursued for the better part of a century.

In theory, a fusion reactor could generate abundant electricity without releasing planet-warming carbon dioxide, and with no risk of large-scale nuclear accidents. But moving the concept out of the lab and onto the power grid has proved immensely difficult.

Commonwealth is the best funded of a crop of start-ups that are hoping to realize fusion’s potential soon. The company is first building a pilot machine in Massachusetts, one it says will demonstrate the feasibility of its technology in 2027.

The new plant it intended to build near Richmond, Va., would be designed to provide electricity to paying customers, though the company hasn’t yet signed up any customers or secured regulatory approval to deliver power through the grid.

“We still have plenty of work to do, obviously,” said Bob Mumgaard, Commonwealth’s chief executive. But picking a site helps the company start working with local power customers to figure out how a fusion plant can be designed and operated to best meet their needs, Dr. Mumgaard said.