COLUMBUS – Drivers are paying the highest gas prices of the year, over $2 a gallon for the first time since before Christmas.
A daily survey from the AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and WEX, Inc., showed the average price of a gallon of regular gas in Columbus was $2.01, a jump of 10 cents overnight.
Nationwide, the average price of gasoline rose above the $2-a-gallon mark last week, but prices are still more than 30 cents cheaper than a year ago (see graph).
In addition to higher demand, refineries are conducting seasonal maintenance, which has led to a decline in fuel production and an increase in retail prices, analysts say.
Refineries are preparing to produce summer-blend gasoline, which is mandated by the EPA and is less prone to evaporate and contribute to air pollution in warmer temperatures. Retailers in many parts of the country are required to sell this summer-blend of gasoline by June 1.