Here is an animation of what nuclear plants are like:

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Containment Structure Control Rods Reactor Steam Generator Steam Line

Pump Generator Steam Turbine Cooling Water Condenser Cooling Tower

C, the nuclear reactor composes of some mildly enriched uranium. The uranium pellets are arranged into long rods, and the rods are collected together into bundles like what C in the diagram is. The bundles are then typically submerged in water inside a pressure vessel. The water acts as a coolant.

Because of the heat given out, the uranium would eventually overheat and melt if the reactor works on its own. To prevent this, control rods B made of a material that absorbs neutrons are inserted into C. B can be raise or lower by machines. Raising and lowering the control rods allow operators to control the rate of the nuclear reaction. When an operator wants the uranium core to produce more heat, the rods are raised out of the uranium bundle. To create less heat, the rods are lowered into the uranium bundle. The rods can also be lowered completely into the uranium bundle to shut the reactor down in the case of an accident or to change the fuel.

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