| Abstract from DBPedia | A nuclear power plant (NPP) is a thermal power station in which the heat source is a nuclear reactor. As is typical of thermal power stations, heat is used to generate steam that drives a steam turbine connected to a generator that produces electricity. As of 2022, the International Atomic Energy Agency reported there were 439 nuclear power reactors in operation in 32 countries around the world. Nuclear plants are very often used for base load since their operations, maintenance, and fuel costs are at the lower end of the spectrum of costs. However, building a nuclear power plant often spans five to ten years, which can accrue to significant financial costs, depending on how the initial investments are financed. Nuclear power plants have a carbon footprint comparable to that of renewable energy such as solar farms and wind farms, and much lower than fossil fuels such as natural gas and brown coal. Despite some spectacular catastrophes, nuclear power plants are among the safest mode of electricity generation, comparable to solar and wind power plants.原子力発電所（げんしりょくはつでんしょ、英: nuclear power plant）とは、原子力発電の方式による発電所。 原子炉の中でウランやプルトニウムが核分裂を持続的に、連鎖反応的に進行させ、その核分裂反応によって発生するエネルギーを熱エネルギーの形で取り出し、それによって蒸気タービン（羽根車）を回転させて発電を行う発電所である。 略称としては、日本語では原発（げんぱつ）と略される。原発立地の道路の案内標識では「○○原電」と表記されることもある。核燃料を使用して電気を起こすことから、核発電所（かくはつでんしょ）ともいう。
* 日本の原子力発電所については、「日本の原子力発電所」を参照。 (Source: http://dbpedia.org/resource/Nuclear_power_plant) |
