The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County rose Friday for the 22nd time in 23 days, increasing 1.6 cents to $4.447, its highest amount since Dec. 5.
The average price has increased 32.4 cents over the past 23 days, including 2.7 cents on Thursday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It rose six consecutive days, dropped one-tenth of a cent on Jan. 28 and resumed rising the next day.
The average price is 13.1 cents more than one week ago and 32.3 cents higher than one month ago, but 17.9 cents less than one year ago. It has dropped $1.926 since rising to a record $6.373 on Oct. 5, 2022.
The increases are the result of the closure of a Northern California refinery, Southern California refinery maintenance and summer blend gasoline production, according to Doug Shupe, the Automobile Club of Southern California’s corporate communications manager.
“Southern California gas prices have increased rapidly in the past two weeks, but not nearly as much as in Northern California, which is directly impacted by its refinery shutdown in Benicia,” Shupe said in a statement released Thursday.
The run of nine increases in 11 days totaling 7.4 cents to the national average price ended with a decrease of four-tenths of a cent to $2.94. It is 4 cents more than one week ago and 12 cents higher than one month ago, but 22 cents less than one year ago.
The national average price has dropped $2.076 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.
The run began with five consecutive increases, then dropped two-tenths of a cent on Saturday and one-tenth of a cent on Sunday. The average price resumed rising on Monday. It increased seven-tenths of a cent on Thursday.