Under Stress

摘要

Low natural gas prices, stricter environmen- tal regulations for coal plants, a surge in intermittent sources of renewable power and the growth of demand-response programs have led power producers to run their gas-fired plants longer and harder. As a result, capacity factors for gas-fired plants have skyrocketed, from as little as 10 percent to more than 60 percent in some cases. This increasing reliance on gas-fired generation has created a need for comprehensive strategies to operate and maintain these increasingly vital assets. Enhancing the reliability and extending the life of these assets is paramount as power producers turn to gas to supply a larger share of base load capacity.