Neville, I am not paskening. It is beyond question that most of the reponsa concerning electricity ere based on incomplete or misunderstood information. Apparently, this includes you. You state that the powerplant workers are doing melacha. What melacha do you think that they are doing? I certainly agree that the use or operation of electrical appliances and devices is assur (with possible exceptions, such as a cho;eh sh’yesh bo sakana). Starting or shutting down generating units would certainly involve forbidden actions. such operations are normal during the week, but on Shabbos when the electrical demand is the lowest, operation is automatic. The operators melacha consists of sitting and watching a computer monitor. Generator load is controlled by each unit’s governor with no human intervention. The Jewish operators may be oiver uvdeh k’chol but they do not perform actions directly involved in producing the energy of controlling it. Of course, the Xtian and Muslim operators are not a concern. Please note that I have been building and operating power plants for 50 years and I have a pretty good idea how they work.
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