Power plants use heat to produce electricity.
Nuclear energy produces electricity from heat through a process called fission . Nuclear power plants use the heat produced by fission of certain atoms .
1. Nuclear fission nucleus of atom is split into parts, produces free neutrons and energy

92
U
Uranium http://www.ecolo.org/photos/uranium/uranium-black.jpg
The fuel used in nuclear power plants is an isotope of the radioactive element uranium
2. Uranium-235
Fission of U-235 splits nucleus in two pieces releases neutrons for chain reaction
Nuclear fission chain reaction  releases energy in the form of heat

3. Nuclear Reactor  device built to sustain a controlled nuclear fission chain reaction
Main Components of Nuclear
Reactor:
- reactor vessel
- tubes of uranium
- control rods
- containment structure http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Crocus-p1020491.jpg
control rods radioactivity in at least 3 feet of concrete!
control
, absorbs www.pbase.com/pbrakke/image/44279993

Fission occurs in the reactor vessel. Heat is produced.
The heat is used to heat water to create steam
4. Nuclear power plant consists of all the parts needed to create electricity by using nuclear energy
The steam is cooled in the condenser to return to the liquid phase.
The steam is used to turn the turbine in the generator to produce electricity

Video: How a pressurized water nuclear reactor (pwr) works http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0VjHg0juz4

2. Uranium-235
1. nuclear fission
3. nuclear reactor
4. nuclear power plant

Nuclear Power Production in Wisconsin
- U.S. produces about 31% of world’s nuclear power
- consumes about 22%
WI - 2 nuclear power plants, Kewaunee and
Point Beach
20% of WI’s energy is from nuclear power
Kewaunee Power
Plant
Carlton, WI
Point Beach Nuclear
Power Plant
Two Rivers, WI

Pennsylvania, USA

Meltdown at Three Mile Island http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBNM3GLzvzo