Explore Nuclear...


How a Nuclear Power Plant Works
Power plants use fuel to heat water into high-pressure steam that spins the fan blades of turbines, which turn generators that produce electricity. In a fossil fuel plant either coal, natural gas or oil is burned to produce heat. In a nuclear plant, uranium is the fuel.

Fission
Uranium atoms split when they absorb subatomic particles called neutrons. This releases energy and additional neutrons which then split other atoms. The controlled reaction produces heat that makes steam to turn the turbines at STP.


Fuel
The uranium is formed into cylindrical pellets that are smaller than a thimble, but each one has the energy of nearly a ton of coal. The pellets are stacked in fuel rods arranged into assemblies, which form a reactor’s core.


Reactor Operations
A reactor starts when control rods in the assemblies are withdrawn and fission begins. The fuel rods heat water circulating through sealed, stainless steel piping pressurized to 2,300 pounds per square inch to keep water liquid at 600º F. This sealed system passes through huge vessels, called steam generators, heating a separate water supply into steam. After it turns the turbine blades, the steam is fed into a condenser and cooled by water from STP’s reservoir. The condensed water is then pumped back to the steam generators and the cycle starts again.

For More Information...
A series of brochures with additional information about nuclear energy is available here.