A better example 'might' be plants can take random times of darkness in their stride so random blackouts don't matter. But given the high cost of the setup I doubt you'd want to screw with efficiency.
But probably isn't the word you want when your whole town is dependent on that power source. So you start small, fix the problems that will arise, gain a knowledge base, and THEN move on to bigger things.
Both of these things have changed and large amounts of money have subsequently been invested in renewable energy sources, making them cheaper (mass-produced) and more reliable (better technology).
If you were to re-build the town today, wind farms and battery storage may well be the most economic choice, but to switch to wind, it not only has to be cheaper (and more environmentally friendly) but also so much cheaper that the initial investment costs are returned in a reasonably timeframe.