Methods and systems related to calculating equpment consumption rates for power plant maintenance and service

A system for improving operations of a generating unit in a part load capacity, wherein an output of the generating unit is produced by a generator to which the generating unit operably connects, the system comprising:

• one or more hardware processors;
• and
• a machine-readable storage medium on which is stored instructions that cause the one or more hardware processors to execute a method that includes:
• determining a usage period for the generating unit for which an equipment consumption rate for operating the generating unit is to be determined;
• monitoring the output of the generating unit during the usage period using one or more sensors coupled to the generating unit and, therefrom, calculating an output level for the generating unit for the usage period, wherein the output level includes a total amount of power generated by the generating unit during the usage period;
• providing a tiered function that defines tiers as a function of output level, wherein at least one of the tiers is associated with a part load output level;
• analyzing previous usage period data from a data resource to determine a part load threshold value, wherein the part load threshold value is based on an amount of time the generating unit operated at a part load during previous usage periods;
• determining the equipment consumption rate for the usage period using an applicable tier from the tiered function in which the output level dictates the applicable tier;
• in response to the applicable tier being associated with the part load output level, determining if the output level exceeds the part load threshold value and applying a capped amount of hours at which the generating unit is allowed to operate at the part load output level;
• and
• in response to the output level exceeding the part load threshold value, increasing the equipment consumption rate for operating the generating unit operates at the part load output level,
• wherein the generating unit has an increased number of days available for dispatching and operating in the part load capacity, and wherein within the days available for dispatching, operating hours at the part load output level of the generating unit is increased up to the capped amount of hours.