Press release from AAA:
Today’s national average price for a gallon of gasoline is $2.74, up 5 cents from last week. One year ago, the price was $2.66. The New York State average is $2.76 – up 3 cents from last week. A year ago, the NYS average was $2.77. AAA Western and Central New York (AAA WCNY) reports the following averages:
- Batavia -- $2.72 (up 7 cents since last week)
- Buffalo -- $2.69 (up 8 cents since last week)
- Ithaca -- $2.73 (up 2 cents since last week)
- Rochester -- $2.75 (up 6 cents since last week)
- Rome -- $2.76 (up 6 cents since last week)
- Syracuse -- $2.74 (up 7 cents since last week)
- Watertown -- $2.78 (up 5 cents since last week)
Refinery maintenance season has hit some unexpected bumps in the road, leading to higher pump prices as the nation settles into spring. According to data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), total domestic refinery utilization – a measure of how much crude and other feedstocks refineries use to make various products, including gasoline – fell to 86.4 percent recently.
At this time last year, EIA measured total refinery utilization at 93 percent. The year-over-year difference underscores the impact of unplanned refinery maintenance on markets across the country. Lower gasoline production and refinery utilization is leading to a drop in domestic gasoline stocks.
Until refineries return to normal operations, which will take a few weeks, American motorists should expect pump prices to continue increasing as gasoline demand increases with spring break road trips and upcoming Easter travel.
