simple explanation of how electricity is generated

Electricity for powering our homes is made in power stations.
A power station contains large machines called turbines, which are turned very quickly.
Power stations need large amounts of energy to turn the turbines. Most use heat energy produced from burning coal. Others use wind energy or moving water. The spinning turbine causes large magnets to turn within wire coils - these are the generators. The moving magnets within the coil of wire causes the electrons (charged particles) to move within the coil of wire. This is electricity.
Steam turbine generators, gas turbine generators, diesel engine generators, alternate energy systems (except photovoltaics), even nuclear power plants all operate on the same principle - magnets plus copper wire plus motion equals electric current. The electricity produced is the same, regardless of source.

Electricity generation - whether from fossil fuels, nuclear, renewable fuels, or other sources - is based on the fact that:
Electricity is a basic part of our life and it is one of our most widely used forms of energy. We get electricity, which is a secondary energy source, from the conversion of other sources of energy, like coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear power and other natural sources, which are called primary sources.