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Electricity GenerationThe animation below shows the layout of a typical fossil fuel or nuclear power station. There are three main parts to this type of power station: 1. The boiler: Heat from burning coal, oil or gas is used to produce high pressure steam. 2. The turbine: The turbine is like a very large fan with thousands of blades. As the steam passes through the turbine it makes it spin. Heat energy in the steam is converted to kinetic energy of the turbine. 3. The generator: The generator consists of an electromagnet that can rotate inside coils of wire. When this is turned by the turbine, kinetic energy is converted to electrical energy. Power lines connected to the National Grid then carry the electrical energy to our homes. In a nuclear power station, a nuclear reactor provides the energy to heat the water in the boiler but otherwise it is exactly the same. See also: National Grid |