Method for operating a combined cycle power plant and combined cycle power plant for using such method

The invention discloses a method for operating a combined cycle power plant (10) with an integrated CO2 capture unit (14), wherein flue gas of a gas turbine (11) is led along an flue gas path through a heat recovery steam generator (19), a flue gas cooling circuit (13) and a CO2 absorber (33). A reduction in effort is achieved by operating the gas turbine (11) to have a backpressure (p1) at its exit, which compensates most or all of the pressure loss of the flue gas along the flue gas path.