Patent ID: 8195339

Claim:
A method for forecasting a start period for a combined cycle power generation system including a gas turbine engine, a steam turbine and a control system including having a user input and a display, the method comprising: a. determining a current turbine temperature of the steam turbine at a current time; b. determining a target time period to dispatchable load as a period from the current time to a target time at which the power generation system is to be at a predefined power output level; c. selecting a forecasted start time period as a period from the current time to a start time for a startup sequences of the power generation system; d. based on the forecasted start time period and the current turbine temperature, determining an estimated turbine starting temperature at the forecasted start time; e. using the estimated turbine starting temperature, determining an estimated time period for the startup sequence; f. summing the forecasted start time period and the estimated time period for the startup sequence to calculate a total time period; g. comparing the total time period to a target time period from a first time to the target time; h. using the forecasted start time period to determine when to start the startup sequence, if the comparison in step (g) determines the total time period to be within a predetermined period of the target time period, and i. decrementing the forecasted start time, if the comparison in step (g) indicates that the total time period is outside of the predetermined period of the target time period, and thereafter repeating steps (d) to (h).