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).
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.
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.