Load mode means that steam turbine controller acts to turbine's control valves in order to

maintain power output at desired value (setpoint). This mode is often called boiler following
mode because pressure in front of a turbine oscillates and master boiler controller is responsible
to keep steam pressure steadily as much as it can.
In pressure control mode, turbine controller keeps steam pressure at desired value (setpoint),
while power output oscillates. This mode is called turbine following mode.
Load mode is often called Load/Speed mode, because when the generator is not synchronized to
the power grid, controller acts as a speed controller. When unit is synchronized, it automatically
becomes load controller.
When steam turbine controller works in load control mode, it can work in either adroop or
isonchronous mode.
Droop control is classical proportional controller. This means that otput power can be somewhat
different from the setpoint which depends on changing the frequency of the grid. This is also
called a primary control (or regulation). When there is a mismatch between production and
consumption, the grid frequency is changed. Because of this, turbine speed is also changed and is
different from the setpoint. That is where proportional controller acts to restore the speed of a
turbine and change load. That is the case whn actual output load can be different from the desired
one.
On the other hand, an isochronous mode means that turbine controller acts as PI (proportional +
integral) controller. This means that in this mode, turbine controller will always match actual
power (load) to be equal to setpoint value no matter if there is a change in frequency

When generator is not synchronized to the grid, steam turbine controller is in so called speed
mode. That mode is essentially the same as power (load) mode. It is not called the load mode
since , there is no load i.e. generator is not synchronized to the power grid. In this phase, if you
add more steam, the turbine will rotate faster (speeding up), otherwise it will slow down if you
reduce steam flow (close control valves). If you want to synchronize the generator it needs to
rotate at speed that matches the grid frequency (for example if power grid frequency is 50 Hz
and generator is two pole machine, it will rotate with 3000 rpm). So to maintain the desired
speed control deviation is formed as difference between set point speed and actual speed.
Depending on that control deviation the controller will be opening or closing the control valves.

When generator is synchronized to the power grid it will rotate with synchro speed i.e. it will
rotate at exactly the same speed that matches the power grid frequency. In that case, if you add
more steam, it will not start to rotate faster, but more power is going to be produced.
Power is equal to h* steam flow, where h is steam enthalpy. So if oyu add more steam, power
will be greater.
This can be seen also from the other point of view. Power = T*speed, where T is torque. If you
add more steam and the speed is constant then, Torque is increasing. Since generator is an
electric machine that convert torques to the current, this will mean greater current flowing out of
the generator. Total effect is increase in power.