Long term maintenance optimization of CCGT plants

The rising share of renewable energies within the generation mix has reduced the load factor of actual CCGT power plants. In this way, a more flexible operation of this technology with an increased number of annual start-up cycles is needed. Since CCGT design assumed a base load operation at nominal power with a few number of annual start cycles, plant owners have to face higher maintenance costs, reliability reduction and lower market incomes. This paper presents a mixed-integer optimization model that schedules the long term maintenance planning based on the daily operation of a CCGT plant in order to maximize its global profit. The model is illustrated with an actual CCGT plant operating in the Spanish power system.