Froggie….
Again, not sure what the relevance of a natural gas pipeline system is to an electric power network. Whereas gas is effectively “stored” in a pipeline under pressure and can be released as necessary with variations in demand, electricity is unlike any other utility service since it must be supplied real time and generation must be balanced with load on 24×7 basis. Further, the IEA grid is has few interconnections with Jordan or Egypt unlike other countries that can import power when shortages arise. As noted earlier, AGC telemetry and advanced control algorithms have substantially reduced the need for human intervention but some amount of real time human intervention will be needed for the indefinite future. Computers cannot perform certain tasks which are needed for real time monitoring of system thermal stability and voltage support. If you still don’t understand, try reading some background material on electric systems on Wikopedia or other non-technical sites and it may become more intuitive. While individual homes can go “off the grid” and there are some “micro-grids” in Tel Aviv and Haifa, those account for less than 2 or 3 percent of total end-user demand. Individuals who worry about chilul Shabbos and illegally install their own generators in densely populated urban areas are endangering large numbers of people and their mindless behavior is beyond understanding. Fortunately, these individuals are being tracked down and prosecuted by the authorities and several have been sentenced to prison. If you don’t like the IEA services or don’t trust their assurances in reference to Shabbos, simply open the circuit breaker on your electric panel and have a guten Shabbos by candelight with the windows open.