Nuclear energy can be used to generate electricity, provide process heat for industrial applications, or propel ships. To generate electricity, the heat generated by nuclear fission is used to produce steam that turns a turbine connected to an electrical generator. This is the same basic process used in fossil fuel power plants, except that instead of burning coal or oil, uranium fuel is split into smaller atoms in a process called fission. The heat from this reaction is transferred to water and converted into steam that powers a turbine and generator to produce electricity.