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The nuclear energy harnessed around the world today to produce electricity is through nuclear fission, while technology to generate electricity from fusion is at the R&D phase. This article will explore nuclear fission.
nuclear power, electricity generated by power plants that derive their heat from fission in a nuclear reactor. Except for the reactor, which plays the role of a boiler in a fossil-fuel power plant, a nuclear power plant is similar to a large coal-fired power plant, with pumps, valves, steam generators, turbines, electric generators, condensers ...
Some countries get no energy from nuclear — or aim to eliminate it completely — while others get most of their power from it. This interactive chart shows the amount of nuclear energy generated by country.
Nuclear power can be obtained from nuclear fission, nuclear decay and nuclear fusion reactions. Presently, the vast majority of electricity from nuclear power is produced by nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium in nuclear power plants.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Science 101: How Does a Nuclear Power Plant Make Electricity? How does a nuclear reactor generate electricity? Let's begin at the end and see how it all fits together.
Nuclear power plants have generated about 20% of U.S. electricity since 1990. As of August 1, 2023, 93 nuclear reactors were operating at 54 nuclear power plants in 28 states. Of the 54 operating nuclear power plants, 19 have one reactor, 31 have two reactors, and 4 have three reactors.
Nuclear energy provided 47% of America’s carbon-free electricity in 2022, making it the largest domestic source of clean energy. Nuclear power plants do not emit greenhouse gases while generating electricity. They produce power by boiling water to create steam that spins a turbine.
Nuclear power today makes a significant contribution to electricity generation, providing 10% of global electricity supply in 2018. In advanced economies 1 , nuclear power accounts for 18% of generation and is the largest low-carbon source of electricity.
Nuclear power is generated by splitting atoms to release the energy held at the core, or nucleus, of those atoms. This process, nuclear fission, generates heat that is directed to a...
Nuclear reactors are the heart of a nuclear power plant. They contain and control nuclear chain reactions that produce heat through a physical process called fission. That heat is used to make steam that spins a turbine to create electricity.