As a result of California?s energy crisis, Sacramento State?s natural gas bill could reach nearly $1 million this year.

Sac State?s estimated natural gas expense this year could total as much as $300,000 to $700,000 more than last year?s total of $270,000, according to Linda Hafar, associate director of plant services at Facilities Management.

However, an exact prediction is difficult because the price of natural gas is constantly fluctuating, Hafar said.

Natural gas provides the heating for the campus through a series of underground steam tunnels. The cost of this natural gas to the University is now $1.56 per 100,000 British Thermal Units, compared with 40 cents for the same amount last January, Hafar said.

Currently, there are no plans to raise University fees as a result of the crisis, said President Donald Gerth.

“Our job is to make sure that it doesn?t [raise fees],” Gerth said.

Nor did Gerth say that night and intercession classes would be limited to cut back on expenses.

“We have no plans to reduce our night classes at all,” Gerth said. “In fact, we are increasing them.”

Gerth explained that most of the expense of running these classes comes from electricity, not natural gas.

The University is currently making efforts to conserve its usage, including limiting campus heaters to 68 degrees, but Mario Ruiz, director of plant services at Facilities Management said that limiting natural gas in the short run is difficult.

“You either use it or you don?t,” Ruiz said.

Facilities Management has made significant progress in implementing natural gas savings over the long term, Hafar said.

“We have always made conservation efforts,” she said.

Through constant effort, the campus has cut natural gas consumption down by 17 percent since 1989, in spite of a constantly growing student body, Hafar said.

The University receives its natural gas from the Department of General Services, which supplies many state institutions, but uses Pacific Gas and Electric pipes to transport it, according to Hafar. She cited deregulation of the natural gas system and lack of supply as the reasons for the increased prices.

Hafar said that the price of natural gas could stabilize in about two years.

Officials from the California State University are asking the State Legislature for new funding to implement more efficient power saving programs. These programs would include new methods in heating CSU buildings, said Ken Swisher, spokesman for the Chancellor.

“We have a great many conservation methods in place,” he added.

At this time, Sac State officials are still unsure where additional funding to pay the increased natural gas expenses will come from.

“We will have to find it in the budget,” Gerth said.