Electricity　generated　from　renewable　energy　source　fluctuates　heavily　and　can　hardly　be　predicted.　The　peak　shaving　(or　load　cycling)　operation　of　conventional　thermal　power　plants　is　an　effective　means　to　mitigate　the　mismatch　between　electricity　demands　and　supplies.　Therefore,　determining　how　thermal　power　plants　can　operate　in　a　flexible　and　effective　mode　is　an　urgent　issue　that　should　be　addressed.　For　thermal　power　plants,　new　methods　and　strategies　need　to　be　proposed　to　face　the　challenge　of　the　integrating　flexibility　and　energy　saving　into　transient　processes.　Dynamic　performances　of　thermal　power　plants　during　load　cycling　processes　are　affected　by　the　coupling　of　the　thermal　system　and　the　control　system.　Feasible　approaches　from　optimizing　the　coordinated　control　system　(CCS)　may　radically　enhance　the　peak　shaving　capacity　of　thermal　power　plants.　The　heat　storage　in　a　coal-fired　power　plant,　including　heating　surface　metals　and　work　media,　varies　with　the　load　rate　of　the　plant.　During　cycling　load　operations,　the　real-time　heat　storage　value　of　one　unit　differs　from　that　of　the　corresponding　steady　state　load　command　rate.　This　difference　hinders　the　flexibility　of　one　unit　and　affects　its　economic　performances　during　cycling　processes.　In　this　paper,　a　revised　water　fuel　ratio　(WFR)　control　strategy　based　on　heat　storage　difference　was　proposed　and　tested　on　established　coal-fired　power　plant　models.　Results　show　that　the　accumulation　deviations　of　load　rate　command　and　real-time　load　rate　are　considerably　reduced　during　load　cycling　processes　when　the　proposed　WFR　control　strategy　is　introduced.　The　revised　WFR　control　strategy　diminishes　the　difference　between　the　target　and　the　actual　total　power　output.　When　the　load　cycling　rate　varies　from　10　to　30　MW　min(-1)　between　50%　and　100%　THA,　the　standard　coal　consumption　variation　rate　(Delta　b(s),)　decreases　by　0.31-1,01　g　kW(-1)　h(-1)　during　loading　up　processes,　and　decreases　by　0.26-1.69　g　kW(-1)　h-(1)　during　loading　down　processes.