Nuclear power station

A nuclear power plant or station uses a nuclear reactor to generate heat which is used to generate steam that drives a steam turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity.

The reactor uses material like uranium-235 or plutonium-239 to create nuclear fission, releasing kinetic energy, gamma radiation, and free neutrons. A portion of these neutrons may be absorbed by other fissile atoms and trigger further fission events, which release more neutrons, and so on. This is known as a nuclear chain reaction and this generates heat energy.

A nuclear reactor coolant — usually water with salt — is circulated past the reactor core to absorb the heat that it generates. The heat is carried away from the reactor and is then used to generate steam. This then drives a steam turbine that turns an alternator which generates electricity.

See also: Nuclear reactor