“You could also be saddened by yourself insinuating that those who used electricity in the 50s were using Reform-like justifications.”
That part was not about using municipal electricity in Israel; I would never say those people are conservative/reform. Ray’s comment was much further reaching than that if you read between the lines or are familiar with the standard Conservative/Reform rhetoric.
“There are many technological and societal changes since the Chazon Ish.”
This isn’t true at all (as it pertains to this issue). Israel is still rov Jewish, and would presumably still employ Jews at the power plants. Nobody is saying you “must” hold like the machmirim, but let’s not pretend there’s been a real change.
“Most Jews can’t not survive without electricity for 24 hours or longer nor afford private generators for Shabbos.”
Actually, most Jews are not currently hooked up to life support that rely on electricity for survival, but some are. Part of the question is whether that makes it mutar for everyone. If you mean “can’t survive” as in “omg I can’t even, like, oh my gosh, if I didn’t have power I would liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiterally die,” then yeah I’ve wasted my time responding to you. Affordability of generators is irrelevant. Maybe people “can’t afford” to take off shabbos/yom tov; that doesn’t mean it’s mutar to be mechallel shabbos.