The tsunami which followed knocked out the backup generators, leaving plant operators scrambling to keep the fuel units from overheating, melting down, and releasing radiation into the air and sea.

FORBES: Three Months Later, Japan Still in Meltdown

So was the cost of all the live operators needed for a backup call center.

FORBES: The 'Freemium' Fallacy

The BPA continues to express concerns that wind operators will force it to reserve a greater percentage of its hydro generation as backup reserves and could ultimately compromise operations if too much water builds up.

FORBES: Grid Operators Drop Plan for Rolling Wind-Farm Outages