Learn more about TVA's fossil plant operations here. How a fossil power plant works Electricity is produced at a fossil plant by the process of heating water in a boiler to produce steam. The steam, under tremendous pressure, flows into a turbine, which spins a generator to produce electricity. This one plant generates about 10 billion kilowatt-hours a year, or enough electricity to supply 700,000 homes. To meet this demand, Kingston burns about 14,000 tons of coal a day, an amount that would fill 140 railroad cars.
Routine maintenance is the key to reliable operation of a generating unit.