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- Coal is transported in GRDA’s own trains. Upon arrival, cars are turned upside down and emptied by a rotary dumper.
- Coal travels by conveyor for dispersal into silos. The coal is then ground into powder and injected into the boiler for combustion.
- Huge fans located below the boiler provide the air for combustion
- Water for the boiler comes from the Grand River. The water is filtered and treated to remove impurities.
- The boiler produces steam at 2,400 PSI (pounds per square inch) and 1000º Fahrenheit. This pressurized steam is then forced over the blades of the turbine, making it spin.
- A condenser converts this steam back into water for re-use in the boiler. The condenser consists of tubes with cool water. When the steam touches these tubes, it condenses back into water and is pumped to the boiler to start the cycle again.
- The condenser water is sent to the cooling tower where its temperature is lowered so it can be reused. The cloud-like plume coming from the cooling towers is water vapor from this cooling process.
- The steam-driven turbine spins the generator rotor within a magnetic field at a constant sixty revolutions per second. This action produces electricity at 24,000 volts. Using electric transformers, the electricity is stepped up to 345,000 volts. High voltage is used for transmitting power because it reduces loss over long distances.
- The chimney, equipped with a continuous emissions monitoring system, reaches 507 feet into the air.
- High voltage transmission lines transmit electricity to distribution sub-stations where the power is then stepped down for use by GRDA customers.