A system for effecting pressure control in a thermal power plant operated at low load connected fluidly in series comprising: a boiler for burning fossil fuel to generate steam; a steam turbine including a high-pressure turbine, an intermediate pressure turbine, and a low pressure turbine which are driven by steam generated in the boiler; a main steam conduit for feeding steam from the boiler to an inlet of the high pressure turbine; a cold reheat conduit for feeding steam from an outlet of the high-pressure turbine through a reheat flow path in the boiler, the cold reheat conduit operatively connected to a hot reheat conduit for feeding reheat steam to an inlet of intermediate pressure turbine; a crossover conduit for feeding steam from an outlet of the intermediate pressure turbine to the low pressure turbine; a low pressure exhaust conduit operatively connected to a feedwater conduit, the feedwater conduit providing feedwater in series though first and second high pressure heaters (124, 126) prior to sending feedwater through the boiler to produce steam into the main steam conduit; a first extraction conduit operatively connecting the cold reheat conduit to the first high pressure heater, wherein the first high pressure heater is operatively associated with the feedwater conduit to transfer heat; a second extraction conduit operatively connecting the intermediate pressure turbine to the second high pressure heater, wherein the second high pressure heater is operatively associated with the feedwater conduit to transfer heat, the second high pressure heater positioned upstream of the first high pressure heater; the system is characterized by further comprising a relief conduit selectively transferring steam from the cold reheat conduit to the second extraction conduit. a boiler for burning fossil fuel to generate steam; a steam turbine including a high-pressure turbine, an intermediate pressure turbine, and a low pressure turbine which are driven by steam generated in the boiler; a main steam conduit for feeding steam from the boiler to an inlet of the high pressure turbine; a cold reheat conduit for feeding steam from an outlet of the high-pressure turbine through a reheat flow path in the boiler, the cold reheat conduit operatively connected to a hot reheat conduit for feeding reheat steam to an inlet of intermediate pressure turbine; a crossover conduit for feeding steam from an outlet of the intermediate pressure turbine to the low pressure turbine; a low pressure exhaust conduit operatively connected to a feedwater conduit, the feedwater conduit providing feedwater in series though first and second high pressure heaters (124, 126) prior to sending feedwater through the boiler to produce steam into the main steam conduit; a first extraction conduit operatively connecting the cold reheat conduit to the first high pressure heater, wherein the first high pressure heater is operatively associated with the feedwater conduit to transfer heat; a second extraction conduit operatively connecting the intermediate pressure turbine to the second high pressure heater, wherein the second high pressure heater is operatively associated with the feedwater conduit to transfer heat, the second high pressure heater positioned upstream of the first high pressure heater; the system is characterized by further comprising a relief conduit selectively transferring steam from the cold reheat conduit to the second extraction conduit.