Nuclear power station control room. Fuel loading operations manager in a nuclear power station control room. The board in front of her shows the schedule for loading the nuclear reactor (far right) with fuel rods from the storage area (left) to replace used rods. Uranium and plutonium fuel are used to produce a controlled nuclear fission reaction. This releases large amounts of energy from a small amount of fissionable material. This is the Chooz B1 nuclear power station in the Ardennes region of France. Brought online in May 2000, this pressurized water reactor generates 1500 megawatts of power. Photographed in 2004.