They worked within the constraints of their own topography - good and bad - to make it work. That is too hard for everyone else?

It is indeed harder if you topography writes off certain kind of electricity production.

But of course, good for them that they used their mountains / rivers ! All all power to them to electrify their economies if they have surplus ! And even better if they can use some reservoirs and pump to store, because it means they can diversify their productions by adding wind / solar and store a lot, until batteries of seasonal scale become more widespread.