El Caribe reports that certain state hospitals are facing the prospect of having to work without electricity, as a result of the over-use of their backup generators. The newspaper quotes several hospital administrators, one of whom, Bienvenido Mejia Mejia of the Luis E. Aybar “El Morgan” hospital, is requesting the hospital be transferred to a “more privileged circuit” on the supply grid. Spending on fuel for the hospital’s backup generator has increased from RD$80,000 in 2002 to RD$250,000 this year. Another effect of the power crisis, also reported by El Caribe, is the danger to women who are forced to walk down darkened city streets. The newspaper says that in Santiago many female students are afraid to walk home from classes after dark, because some of their fellow-students have been assaulted. Some are resorting to travel by taxi, which is not an option for most students on limited budgets. Bus drivers, too, are reporting increased attacks by stone throwers under the cover of darkness on several of Santiago’s bus routes. The OMSA bus company is providing additional transport for students at night, according to the report.