Abstract: To clarify the actual thermal performance of a 660 MW coal-fired unit under deep peak regulation condition with 30% rated load, thermal performance tests were conducted in accordance with relevant testing standards. The test results show that, the boiler thermal efficiency and steam turbine heat rate of the unit under this condition are 92.81% and 8 529.4 kJ/(kW·h), respectively. The gross coal consumption rate is 317.1 g/(kW·h), which is equivalent to the design value 316.3 g/(kW·h). By using a deviation analysis method, it is determined that the main reason for the lower boiler thermal efficiency compared to the design value is the high actual flue gas loss. Although the efficiencies of the high, medium, and low pressure cylinders of the steam turbine have decreased to varying degrees, the overall steam turbine heat rate is still better than the design value due to the actual back pressure of the unit being significantly lower than the design value. Based on the test results, it is inferred that the error of gross coal consumption rate calculated by positive balance method is mainly due to sampling, preparation, and analysis errors of coal and the statistical error of coal consumption measurement device. Compared with the 50% rated load condition, the operation safety of the unit under the deep peak regulation condition is decreased, the auxiliary power rate of the unit is increased by 3.45 percentage points, the boiler thermal efficiency is reduced by 1.72 percentage points, and the steam turbine heat rate is increased by 157.5 kJ/(kW·h). The research results provide a reference for similar units to master the thermal performance under deep peak regulation condition.