The operation mode and heat storage time of concentrating solar power (CSP) have a profound impact on the benefits of CSP in power system. It has an important impact on the development of CSP by the reasonable evaluation on the benefits. An equivalent annual cost method for comprehensively evaluating the capacity benefit and electricity benefits of CSP is proposed in this paper. The start-up and shutdown of the unit and the cross-day adjustment of the energy storage power supply are considered by this method. The production simulation for the system with CSP is carried out in 8 760 h. By comparing the changes of thermal power installation demand and system coal consumption before and after the CSP is put into operation, the capacity benefits and electricity energy benefits of the CSP are evaluated, and then the national economy of the CSP is evaluated. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the simulation of the actual power grid in northwest China. The results show that the national economic benefits of CSP are related to the investment of CSP, the way of peaking, the hour of heat storage and the scale of new energy power generation. The national economy of CSP participating in peak-shaving operation is better than it doesn't.