A steam cycle power plant (10) is provided that may include a steam source generating steam (40), a steam turbine (24) receiving the generated steam and discharging an exhaust steam, a condenser (44) receiving the exhaust steam and an atomizer (60) for injecting water into the exhaust steam downstream of the steam turbine (24) and upstream of a cooling surface of the condenser (44) effective to reduce a backpressure on the steam turbine (24) and improve a heat rate of the steam turbine (24). The atomizer (60) may include a plurality of symmetrical spaced fluid connections (70) and a plurality of atomizing nozzles (62) affixed proximate at least one exhaust end of the steam turbine (24). The power plant (10) may be a combined cycle power plant including a heat recovery steam generator (40) and a gas turbine engine (12).