I get that SMRs are more expensive, but the promise there is 24/7 power production, regardless of time of day or weather.

It's true that you can run a spreadsheet and "prove" that the "numbers" for solar and wind are better.

But I have to wonder about the effects of a predominately solar powered grid coupled with something like Canadian forest fires that burned for months on end.... and which blotted out the sun over the Northeast while at the same time covering everything in dust.

It happened once. And given the direction in which the climate is headed, it will probably happen again.

As such, and instead of gloating that they should have consulted a spreadsheet jockey, perhaps a portion of our energy budget should be devoted to baseload power sources... even if they're more expensive. Who knows? We might find the investment worthwhile.