Stack dampers are simple on paper yet pivotal in practice. If they do not open cleanly at light-off, exhaust flow can choke, startup timelines slip, and HRSG parts see higher thermal stress. If they leak or stick during shutdown, stored heat bleeds away and the next start begins colder. In ISO-driven markets where starts and

In a demand-heavy, renewables-rich grid, the fastest and lowest-risk capacity gain often comes from assets already on the pad. A recent GE Vernova webinar discusses practical ways to uncover incremental output and reliability by treating the combined cycle as a single system. The session was moderated by Matt Foreman, and featured technical perspectives from Jason

Thirty years before artificial intelligence (AI) became part of common public lexicon, the powerplant industry was getting steeped in it. There was always the question, however, how far you could “push” the technology and reduce staff expertise. Now, a relatively new entrant to the M&D-as-a-service space emphasizes how its operations experts remain in the loop.

By Dewayne Gilreath and Christen Mancini, Hydro, Inc. Segmental-ring (BB4) boiler-feed pumps (BFP) can be sensitive to external forces, hydraulic instability, and alignment. This case study reviews modifications implemented to reduce leakage, minimize wear, and mitigate balance-device-driven vibration. The boiler-feed system is the heart of the steam cycle, supplying feedwater to the HRSG for steam