The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Los Angeles County rose 1.7 cents over the weekend to $2.825, just after recording the greatest daily increase since March 24 when it rose 2 cents on Friday.
The rising pump prices come three days after a 15-cent jump in wholesale prices caused by fears of a decrease in supply resulting from refinery problems, according to Jeffrey Spring, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager.
“PBF Energy, which owns the former ExxonMobil refinery in Torrance, reported Wednesday that it is now running at 75 percent capacity after a power outage caused a complete shutdown Sept. 19″ Spring said. “In addition, Chevron’s El Segundo refinery reportedly has experienced issues.”
The average price Saturday was 3.9 cents more than one week ago and 10.1 cents higher than one month ago, but 26.2 cents less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.
The Orange County average price Saturday rose 1.8 cents to $2.805. It is 4.6 cents more than one week ago and 9.9 cents higher than one month ago, but 21.6 cents less than one year ago.
—City News Service