Page "Gas turbine" Paragraph 58

The construction process for gas turbines can take as little as several weeks to a few months, compared to years for base-load power plants.

Another significant advantage is their ability to be turned on and off within minutes, supplying power during peak, or unscheduled, demand.

Since single cycle ( gas turbine only ) power plants are less efficient than combined cycle plants, they are usually used as peaking power plants, which operate anywhere from several hours per day to a few dozen hours per year — depending on the electricity demand and the generating capacity of the region.

In areas with a shortage of base-load and load following power plant capacity or with low fuel costs, a gas turbine powerplant may regularly operate most hours of the day.

A large single-cycle gas turbine typically produces 100 to 400 megawatts of electric power and have 35 – 40 % thermal efficiency.