Unit commitment (UC) problem on a large scale with the ramp rate and prohibited zone constraints is a very complicated nonlinear optimization problem with huge number of constraints. This paper presents a new hybrid approach of 'Gaussian Harmony Search' (GHS) and 'Jumping Gene Transposition' (JGT) algorithm (GHS-JGT) for UC problem. In this proposed hybrid GHS-JGT for UC problem, scheduling variables are handled in binary form and other constants directly through optimum conditions in decimal form. The efficiency of this method is tested on ten units, forty units and hundred units test system. Simulation results obtained by GHS-JGT algorithm for each case show a better generation cost in less time interval, in comparison to the other existing results. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.