Commissioning power plants

A commissioning process for a steam cycle power plant, the process comprising:

• providing temporary valving and piping to a condenser of a steam cycle power plant;
• injecting quenching fluid in piping leading to temporary valves,
• wherein the injecting of quenching fluid is configured to reduce steam pressure and temperature in the piping leading to the temporary valves, and
• wherein the reduced steam pressure and temperature in the piping leading to the temporary valves enables a pressure drop across the temporary valves of less than 5 psi;
• providing temporary conduction of steam via the temporary valving and piping, wherein the temporary conduction of steam bypasses one or more turbine stages and bypasses valving and bypass paths associated with the one or more turbine stages,
• wherein pressure drops in the temporary valving and piping are inherently lower than pressure drops in the valving and bypass paths associated with the one or more turbine stages;
• wherein the temporary valving and piping includes a temporary piping spool containing a gate valve and temporary desuperheating system for using in commissioning;
• and
• replacing the gate valve and temporary desuperheating system with permanent hot reheat and low pressure bypass valves and related spools after the commissioning.