Contracts for utilities
that's the problem, most of the good stuff is not utility. Where a system has become a utility then both sides should be aware of the costs involved in producing high availability.
With new projects then it is very hard to work out the risks, and is better to concentrate on the competitive advantage that the system will give.
If anything trying to work out the risks to too great degree is an expensive waste of money, instead prototypes should be built with that money so if you discover it is not feasible you still have some learning, and if feasible you are already part of the way there.
Risk analysis should be part of a profession that produces, not a profession in and of itself. That's the problem a lot of things have in our society we have too many redundant specialists and not enough master generalists, that thinking has made our economy weak.
And, I do blame HR for this, an example of a department that should not exist, HR skills should be with the management of each department or owners of companies. Personnel was a much better concept, where they did not get involved in hiring just doing paperwork.