FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas will be paying more for electricity over the next 12 months: $1.2 million more than last year, which is also $1.2 million more than the university budgeted.

The reason is simple: Southwestern Electric Power Co., which provides the university’s electricity, uses coal and natural gas to generate the electricity it sells to its customers in northwest Arkansas. The price of coal and natural gas, particularly natural gas, went up dramatically this summer, nearly keeping pace with oil prices. The state Public Service Commission requires SWEPCO,to pass that cost on to consumers. For the university, that additional cost will be an estimated $1.2 million for fiscal 2009.

"Obviously this is not an expense that the campus has budgeted for, but will none the less have to deal with," said Donald O. Pederson, vice chancellor for finance and administration.  "We make every effort to anticipate and budget for changes in operating costs, but the unprecedented increase in the energy markets in early summer could not have been foreseen."

The only way for the university to lower its electric bill is for the campus community to use less electricity.

"Conservation is the key," said Scott Turley, director for utility operations and maintenance at the university. "Each of us can have an impact by being smart energy consumers. Most of it is common sense, like turning off lights and keeping space temperatures at reasonable levels."

Turley also suggested looking for hidden "energy hogs" in rooms and offices that use energy whenever they are plugged in. Printers and television sets are obvious examples, but chargers for devices like cell phones and iPods can also be an unexpected energy drain.

"All of these devices consume electricity even when not being used," Turley said. He recommends plugging these devices into a power strip so they can all be switched off at once when not being used.

"We are all trying to make the university a more sustainable campus, and conservation is the first priority as we reduce, reuse and recycle. The high cost of electricity is all the more reason to get serious about conserving energy starting today,” Turley said.