A thermal power station is a kind of energy source that generates electricity from coal, natural gas, or waste heat. There are several types of power plants. Some power plants utilize coal, while others use natural gas. These power facilities are also known as coal-fired or gas-fired thermal power plants. The coal-fired thermal power station is the most frequent form of tower station.

Thermal power plants create energy using coal-fired steam turbines. The turbines generate electricity and heat via steam cycles. The process is described using thermodynamic and energy balance equations. The steam is desuperheated after passing through a high-pressure feedwater heater. It is then condensed and used to heat feedwater as it passes through the turbine.

Heat-only boilers in thermal power plants generate hot water and steam but no liquid water. After that, the steam is sent via a boiler and a turbine to power an electrical generator. The steam is returned to the boiler through a condenser and utilized as boiler-feed water.

The primary purpose of a boiler is to extract as much energy from fuel as feasible. This entails burning all of the fuel's fixed carbon and volatile materials. To do this, the boiler must be very hot and continually burn the fuel. Furthermore, the boiler should be built to enhance heat transmission. Separate heat exchangers are used in certain thermal power plants to boost efficiency.

Coal is the principal fuel used in thermal power plants, which accounts for approximately half of the worldwide energy supply. The coal is burnt in a furnace-like boiler to produce steam and heat. The turbine blades linked to a shaft are then turned by high-pressure steam. The turbine then drives a generator, which generates power.

Calculating a boiler's net heat output is necessary to estimate its efficiency. Heat production is measured as a proportion of the available energy in the fuel by British Standards. On the other hand, the German DIN 1942 standard suggests a lower calorific value, but the American ASME PTC-4.1 standard specifies a greater one. There are two approaches for calculating boiler efficiency: direct and indirect. Direct techniques divide heat output by fuel power input, while indirect methods remove significant losses from unity.