How Stuff Works: How coalfired power plants work
Nov 13, 2010 · The first step in turning the coal into electricity is a pulverizer. The coal turns into a powder that will make it easier to burn cleanly. The coal powder enters a boiler on a stream of air. In the boiler the coal burns and in the process heats a set of tubes filled with water. The water flashes into steam at 1,000 degrees F and 3,500 PSI.