A nuclear power plant or nuclear power station is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor.
As is typical in all conventional thermal power stations the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to an electric generator which produces electricity. As of 23 April 2014, the IAEA report there are 449 nuclear power reactors in operation operating in 31 countries.Nuclear power stations are usually considered to be base load stations, since fuel is a small part of the cost of production.
Their operations and maintenance (O&M) and fuel costs are, along with hydropower stations, at the low end of the spectrum and make them suitable as base-load power suppliers. The cost of spent fuel management, however, is somewhat uncertain.
