Managing of a power plant today requires many decisions that can have a major impact on the
bottom line. Making the correct one can make the management team heros. The wrong one
could mean disaster. Today’s fuel costs have increased dramatically. Natural gas has gone from
$2.00 per decatherm to over $14.00 at recent peak times (Figure 1).1 Today’s contract prices for
coal including transportation costs are approximately double from a few years ago. Any change
in operation, such as fouled tubes, can result in a costly heat rate increase. A major condenser,
feedwater heater, or boiler tube leak can cause 1 to 3 days of lost power that can result on over
$1,000,000 of lost income. Derates during peak periods due to inefficient heat exchangers or
copper deposits on the turbine blades can turn a very profitable year into one just marginal.
