Utah gas prices hit $3 for first time since 2015

April 22, 2018 Utah Channel 3

ST. GEORGE – The price of of regular unleaded gas hit $3 last week and kept rising over the weekend to greet drivers in southwest Utah with an average cost of $3.11 Monday.

According to the AAA, prices haven’t averaged $3 in Utah since early July 2015.

“Gas prices in Utah have jumped more than 60 cents since the beginning of 2018, and there’s no sign they’ll be decreasing as we enter the busy summer travel season,” AAA spokesman Michael Blasky said.

Factors involved in the price spike include high demand caused by record travel for April.

The latest data from the Energy Information Administration has consumer gasoline demand at near 10 million barrels a day, which is a factor in the price of oil jumping to nearly $70 a barrel compared to the $50 a barrel it was this time last year.

In Utah, HollyFrontier’s Woods Cross refinery experienced a fire in March, reportedly causing lower rates of production.

As of Monday, the national average for gas is $2.76, with Utah’s average at $3.02.

In Utah, the highest price can be found in Moab at $3.18, with St. George taking second place at $3.11, and Vernal in third at $3.02.

The lowest gas prices in the state can be found in Provo at $2.97, Salt Lake City at $2.98 and Logan at $2.99.

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler