The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County rose Monday for the 25th time in 26 days, increasing seven-tenths of a cent to $4.467, its highest amount since Dec. 4.
The average price is 10.4 cents more than one week ago and 33.4 cents more than one month ago, but 18.7 cents less than one year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It has dropped $1.906 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 last week.
The national average price rose two-tenths of a cent to $2.929. It is 2.7 cents more than one week ago and 9 cents more than one month ago, but 22.9 cents less than one year ago. The national average price has dropped $2.087 since rising to a record $5.016 on June 14, 2022.