Extraction of the coal and natural gas is accomplished with the aid of computers, powerful machinery, and ultra-durable drill bits capable of boring through rock. Natural gas is the preferred fuel in the United States due to its abundant availability and low environmental risk. When gas is burned in the controlled combustion environment of the utility plant, it produces power that turns the precision-engineered blades of a large gas turbine. The turbines are connected to electric generators that make the electricity by placing rotating conductors in a magnetic field. Coal and gas are not the only sources of energy for power generation.
Hydroelectric plants utilize the enormous thrust and power of water to move turbines.
Utilities in California have been successful with solar farms, where mirrored panels concentrate sunshine onto a synthetic fluid that heats to around 700 degrees F and is used to generate steam, which drives the turbomachinery. Elsewhere, household garbage is burned for steam generation. Whether it's burning gas or harnessing the energy of the sun, the fundamental need for generating electricity is to create mechanical power for driving turbines and generators. After the electricity is generated, it enters the transmission and distribution system. Electricity leaves the plant at high voltages, typically in the 230kV to 500 kV range, then flows into transformers located on the utility poles in residential neighborhoods.