A fire Monday at the Valero refinery in Benicia has caused a price spike at the pump in many Northern California cities, while Southern California gas prices have stopped dropping and may begin increasing soon, according to the Auto Club’s Weekend Gas Watch. The average price for self-serve regular gasoline in California is $4.82, which is five cents higher than a week ago and 50 cents lower than a year ago today. The average national price is $3.15, which is three cents lower than a week ago and 49 cents lower than on this date last year.
The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $4.76 per gallon, which is the same as last week and 53 cents less than last year. In San Diego, the average price is $4.75, which is also the same as last week and 54 cents lower than this time last year.
On the Central Coast, the average price is $4.72, which is one cent more than last week and 55 cents lower than last year. In Riverside, the average per-gallon price is $4.61, which is one cent less than last week and 60 cents lower than a year ago. In Bakersfield, the $4.69 average price is two cents lower than last week and 58 cents lower than a year ago today.
“Los Angeles wholesale gasoline prices surged this morning, likely because of California supply concerns related to the fire,” said Auto Club spokesperson Doug Shupe. “Although Southern California does not receive any gas supply from Northern California refineries, an extended refinery outage would raise prices throughout the state.”
The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline. As of 9 a.m. on May 8, averages are:
