Oyster Creek
is a single boiling water reactor that produces 636 megawatts
of virtually emissions-free electricity , enough power
for almost 600,000 homes.
While
some power plants burn oil, coal, or natural gas to produce
electricity, nuclear power relies on small, half-inch
long, uranium pellets. Each pellet is capable of releasing
as much energy as one ton of coal. And a single ton of
uranium releases energy equivalent to about 400,000 barrels
of oil. But unlike fossil fuels, nuclear power releases
no combustion products to the environment. It is clean
energy.
The heat generated by nuclear power results
from a process called fission, which is the splitting of
atoms by even tinier particles, called neutrons. Fission
takes place within the nuclear reactor vessel.
These reactor vessels contain the uranium
pellets, stacked end-to-end in fuel rods. The fuel rods
are arranged in bundles called fuel assemblies. These fuel
assemblies making up the reactor core.
The faster the atoms split, the more heat
is produced. The rate at which the atoms are split is controlled
by special rods, which absorb neutrons. These control rods
fit into spaces between selected fuel rods. As the rods
are raised, more heat is produced. As they are lowered,
fission slows. When the control rods are fully lowered,
fission stops.
At this point, water takes over. The water
is heated by the nuclear fuel and boils to steam directly
in the reactor vessel. It is then piped directly to the
turbine. The turbine spins, driving the electric generator,
producing electricity.
Copyright 2006 Exelon Corporation. All Rights Reserved. Created and Designed by VisionLine Media
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