Feeling Pinch at the Pumps? Area Prices Up 18 Cents Per Gallon Over Last Month

BAY AREA, CA – Gas prices in the Bay Area and throughout California climbed appreciably over the past month, largely due to "various degrees of challenges" experienced by the state's refineries, according to a monthly price survey by AAA.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas in the Bay Area is now $2.82, up 18 cents from a month ago, according to AAA.

Statewide, the average price is now $2.81, up 15 cents from the same period last month.

AAA says flaring at Chevron's Richmond plant, Phillips 66's Rodeo plant and Shell's Martinez refinery is partly to blame for the price hike.

Also, a power outage at Phillips 66's Wilmington refinery last Thursday and expected maintenance at Tesoro's Los Angeles refinery and Valero's Benicia plant share some of the responsibility, according to AAA.

Nationally the average price for a gallon of gas rose 16 cents to $2.37, which is the highest average since last June.

"Retail prices have increased for 40 of the past 42 days as a result of market reactions to the OPEC oil cut agreement," AAA officials said in a statement today.

In the Bay Area, San Francisco is enduring the highest gas prices, which are $2.92 per gallon in that city.
Santa Cruz has the cheapest prices, which are averaging $2.67 there.

South Lake Tahoe has the highest prices in the state, with a gallon going for an average of $2.98, up 22 cents from a month ago.

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