Community Corner

Gas Prices Climb 40 Cents In One Month

The Chevron accident and other factors have caused prices at the pump to skyrocket in August

Chances are you're paying $4 to $8 more to fill up your car than you did last month.

The California State Automobile Association reports the average price for a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline in the East Bay is now $4.12.

That's 27 cents higher than a week ago and 41 cents higher than a month ago.

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In Walnut Creek, gasbuddy.com lists four stations tying for the low price of $4.07 — Ideal Miles Plus at Ygnacio Valley and Civic; Shell at 265 Ygnacio Valley; Chevron at N. Main and Ygnacio Valley; and Valero at Ygnacio Valley Road and North Broadway. Looks like a price war along Ygnacio Valley Road.

In Concord, the average price is listed as $4.12 a gallon, 42 cents more than last month.

Find out what's happening in Walnut Creekwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

On gasbuddy.com, the cheapest price listed for regular unleaded in Concord is $3.99. The stations listed at that price are Costco at Monument and Detroit, the Arco at Monument and Detroit, the World station at Monument and Erickson and another Arco at Willow Pass and Farm Bureau Road.

The average throughout California is $4.10 for a gallon of regular unleaded. Nationally, the average price is $3.70.

CSAA officials say the primary reason for the quick jump in prices was theat the Chevron refinery in Richmond.

“The recent fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond has created a short-term spike in gas prices across many parts of the Pacific Northwest and Nevada,” said CSAA Northern California spokesperson Cynthia Harris. “It still remains to be seen how long the impact of the fire will be felt. Meanwhile, across the United States, positive economic news has been putting upward pressure on oil prices.”

Do you think prices have jumped too quickly? Let us know in the comments section


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