The worldwide introduction of wind and sun power and the new environmental requirements for coal fired stations gives an increasing demand on gas fired power stations to balance the grid and 
to make a reliable quick start and stop regime possible.



To start and to stop a modern CCGT installation cannot be done instantaneously. The gas turbine has a certain time to get up to speed and to switch from full speed no load to full load. It should be warmed through first. The rest of the power plant, mainly the HRSG, the waste heat steam boiler downstream of the gas turbine, the interconnecting steam pipework, the steam turbine and the complete cooling circuit have to be brought up to working temperature as well. 

This all has to be done within a certain time pressure to limit the starting costs and to supply as 
soon as possible to the grid. The demand to minimize the starting times is stronger in the continental theater due to the higher fuel costs. Remaining for all CCGT plants is the demand of being reliable and the need to be sure to be able to start the installation and to supply the electricity required 
to the grid...
(download the paper below)