Tom Scott if you want to talk about power generation then you might want to get a few of your facts straitened out. <br>#1) the "cycles" as you call them. the correct terminology is hertz  but your numbers there were right 50Hz and 60Hz respectively<br>#2) the turbine doesn't directly create the power, they are coupled to generators that create the power<br>#3) if one plant trips out they can ramp up the output of other units most of the larger units are not running at 100% all of the time  or kick a  peaker unit on, that can be brought on line quickly from standby (off) <br>#4) in  the event a unit dose trip out the exciter on the generator is deactivate so that they can bring the unit  down in a controlled and safe  manner only thing slowing the unit down for the most part is friction <br>#5) yes steam and gas turbines are less efficient,but they don't rely on good weather to produce power just fuel  as well as combined cycle  plants that use the exhaust from a gas turbine to create steam for a steam turbine    <br>#6) when the wind doesn't blow there is no power being produced not to mention that wind turbines are more complicated and harder to work on than a "standard" steam or gas unit. due to the requirement of a gear box  and the fact that you cant really get a crew up to repair it  easily