@chu It might or might not be an applicable example depending on the exact context, but what happens in the USSR after it collapse makes blanket statements such as "we won't have electricity after social collapse" kind of problematic.
"I had to then explain that infrastructure needs people to maintain and if things fall apart, nobody will keep the generators going"
To put it bluntly, are you *sure* that operating a power plant, managing a local grid, sourcing fuel and collecting payments from customers is beyond the capabilities of most currently operating criminal organization? I, certainly, am not.
That said, I totally agree on your statement regarding the average person having not idea how much frequent disruptions of the grid, in countries where quasi-permanent availability of electricity is considered a given, will lead to a large number of death and suffering. Disruptions in potable water management, sewage management, and refrigeration can have devastating consequences.