HERZLIYA — The Yannay Institute for Energy Security at Reichman University released a study in 2024 that evaluated the cascading impacts of prolonged electricity loss on critical infrastructure. The research focused on cross-system failure propagation instead of cataloging specific grid vulnerabilities.

Avri Schechter, director of the institute, collaborated with subject-matter experts for six months to complete the research. The study identified communications networks, water distribution, and transportation logistics as foundational sectors whose failure would trigger broader system collapses. Backup power infrastructure for facilities such as medical centers, high-rise elevators, and water desalination operations typically functions for a maximum of several days.

"The purpose of this study is not to cause alarm – it’s the opposite. We call for a shared professional framework and integrated cross-sector planning. The national challenge is not only how to prevent a blackout, but how to maintain operational continuity if one occurs," Schechter said. "When people think about a blackout, they imagine a power outage, dark windows, and candles. But the real danger lies further down the chain of consequences. Within minutes to hours, a form of ‘functional darkness’ begins to spread across critical systems."

"Home internet connections fail; water pumps in high-rise buildings stop working; refrigerators and freezers cease functioning. In public spaces, traffic-control systems, road signs, signals, and traffic lights are disrupted. As the outage continues, resources become scarce and public pressure intensifies," Schechter said.

The Israel Electric Corporation and Noga have previously issued warnings regarding the operational risks of a nationwide grid failure. Following the attacks on October 7, 2023, many residents purchased residential backup generators. "After 72 hours, the challenge shifts from electricity itself to the management of essential services and the resilience of the economy. A blackout is a stress test not only for individual systems, but for the interfaces among them. If each system focuses solely on protecting itself, without cross-system coordination, localized protective measures may ultimately weaken the resilience of the system as a whole," Schechter said.

No independent assessment was available for this report.