热电厂，是指在发电的同时，还利用汽轮机的抽汽或排汽为用户供热的火电厂。主要工作原理是利用火力发电厂发电后的热水，经过再次加热后供暖。

在发电的同时，还利用汽轮机的抽汽或排汽为用户供热的火电厂。一般发电厂都采用凝汽式机组，只生产电能向用户供电。工业生产和人们生活用热则由特设的工业锅炉及采暖锅炉房单独供应。这种能量生产方式称为热、电分产。在热电厂中则采用供热式机组，除了供应电能以外，同时还利用作过功（即发了电）的汽轮机抽汽或排汽来满足生产和生活上所需热量。这种能量生产方式称为热电联产。

从能源利用效果考虑，热电分产对能源使用很不合理：一方面热功转换过程(凝汽式机组发电)必然产生低品位热能损失（汽机排汽在冷源中放热),另一方面让高品位热能（锅炉提供的蒸汽热量）贬值地用于低品位供热。在热电联产中燃料化学能则转变为高位热能先用来发电（高品位热能），然后使用做过功的低品位热能向用户供热，这符合按质用能和综合用能的原则。

The thermal power plant refers to a thermal power plant that uses the extraction or exhaust steam of a steam turbine to supply heat to users while generating electricity. The main working principle is to use the hot water generated by the thermal power plant and heat it after heating again.

At the same time of power generation, it also uses the steam extraction or exhaust steam of the steam turbine to supply heat to the user. In general, power plants use condensing units, which only produce electricity to supply power to users. Industrial production and people's daily heat are supplied separately by special industrial boilers and heating boiler rooms. This type of energy production is called heat and electricity. In thermal power plants, heating units are used. In addition to supplying electrical energy, steam turbines or exhaust steam for over-current (ie, power generation) are used to meet the heat demanded for production and life. This type of energy production is called cogeneration.

From the perspective of energy utilization, thermoelectricity is very unreasonable for energy use: on the one hand, the thermal power conversion process (condensation unit power generation) inevitably produces low-grade heat energy loss (the steam exhaust of the turbine is radiated in the cold source). On the other hand, high-grade heat energy (steam heat supplied by the boiler) is depreciated for low-grade heating. In cogeneration, the fuel chemical energy is converted into high-level heat energy for power generation (high-grade heat energy), and then the low-grade heat energy for the work is used to supply heat to the user, which is in line with the principle of energy use and comprehensive energy use.