UTAH
Utah gas prices rising, among most expensive in the country
May 4, 2023, 11:36 AM | Updated: 11:53 am
FILE: Motorists get gas at Holiday in Cottonwood Heights on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023. As of May 4, Utah sits $.36 above the national average of $3.57 a gallon (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News).
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY— Utah is currently one of the most expensive states to buy gas.
According to AAA, the cost of a gallon of regular unleaded is $3.93 in Utah, which is up $.14 in the last week and $.23 cents in the last month.
That price has Utah sitting at $.36 above the national average of $3.57 a gallon as of Thursday, May 4.
Supply chain issues, Memorial Day, and the good news about Utah gas
AAA Spokesperson Julian Paredes told KSL NewsRadio it’s likely due to a disruption in the supply chain, courtesy of problems at refineries in Texas and New Mexico.
“Normally that wouldn’t impact Utah that much … but … it was such a big issue for the entire region,” Paredes said. “That gas has to come in from somewhere.”
Utah saw a price hike earlier this year after a Colorado refinery shut down for a time.
And Paredes said prices will likely rise again for Memorial Day and as summer travel sets in.
But, on the bright side prices now are nearly $.60 lower than the average of $4.51 Utahans were paying for unleaded regular a year ago.
“The oil market can be very unpredictable and very volatile, but right now we are in much better shape than we were last year,” Paredes said.
Utah set a statewide record for the average cost of regular unleaded last July at $5.26 a gallon.
Related reading: Gas prices will get worse, Utah congressman warns
