The "Nassau" class therefore retained three vertical, 3-cylinder triple-expansion steam engines, each in its own engine room, with each driving a 3-bladed screw propeller that was in diameter. Steam for the engines was provided by twelve coal-fired, Schulz-Thornycroft water-tube boilers that were divided into three boiler rooms. The wing turrets and their magazines further divided the machinery into three separated groups, thereby increasing survivability. The boilers were ducted into a pair of funnels. The propulsion system was rated at for a top speed of , though in service, all four ships exceeded these figures by a wide margin. Power output ranged from , with top speeds of . By comparison, "Dreadnought"s steam turbines provided a rated speed of . Electrical power was provided by eight turbo-generators, producing at 225 V.