The Israel Electric Company will hire 150 non-Jewish workers to prevent Chillul Shabbos at its facilities, according to a decision last week by National Infrastructures Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer – and reported by Haaretz. The step is part of the process to advance a new law regulating electricity production on Shabbos. Electricity can either be automatically generated or produced by non-Jewish workers on Shabbos.

The cost of implementing the changes is estimated at NIS 200 million, and electricity rates will rise to reflect the costs.