How do electric power plants generate a current?

1 Answer
Jul 8, 2014

By rotating an electromagnet inside a large array of a conducting material – like a coil.


Usually a steam turbine is used to propel a drive shaft which has an electromagnet mounted on it. Surrounding the magnet is a large array of conducting material like a coil. As the magnet rotates the conductor is forced to cut the moving magnetic field lines. This process induces an electrical current in the conductor.