What does the fossil fuel coal power?

Coal-fired power plants use coal to generate steam that drives a turbine, which spins to produce electricity. The process begins with the mining of coal, which is then transported to the power plant. At the power plant, the coal is crushed into a fine powder and then burned in a boiler. The heat from the burning coal turns water into steam, which is then piped to a turbine. The turbine spins and turns a generator, which produces electricity.