San Diego drivers woke up today to yet another bump at the pump, with prices climbing for the 12th straight day and the county average hovering around $4.70 per gallon. The streak of increases has pushed local gas costs to their highest point since early December, squeezing commuters and families just as spring travel plans start to ramp up.
According to CBS 8, citing Auto Club/AAA data, the San Diego average ticked up another 0.5 cents yesterday to $4.698 per gallon, landing about 4.9 cents higher than a week earlier. Separate figures from AAA put the national average around $2.997 per gallon, highlighting just how far California has drifted from the rest of the country on fuel prices.
Why Prices Are Climbing
Analysts largely blame a combination of shrinking refinery capacity and routine seasonal maintenance for the latest spike. As reported by Reuters, Valero is planning to idle its Benicia refinery by April, while Phillips 66 has scaled back operations in the Los Angeles area, trimming a meaningful slice of the state’s refining output. Seasonal work at refineries such as PBF’s Torrance facility is also temporarily limiting gasoline production, according to Kandace Redd of the Automobile Club of Southern California, in comments reported by MyNewsLA.
Local Context And Recent History
Even with the recent run-up, today’s prices are still well below the all-time highs that had drivers wincing in 2022. Data from AAA show San Diego’s average has dropped roughly $1.74 since the record-setting $6.435 per gallon posted on October 5, 2022. That long-term relief, though, does not do much for motorists feeling the current week-over-week and month-over-month jumps every time they swipe a card.
How Motorists Can Limit The Hit
Drivers looking to soften the blow still have a few tools. Price-comparison apps, station loyalty programs, and timing fill-ups for less busy days can all shave a bit off the total. A forecast from GasBuddy notes that seasonal fuel blend changes and maintenance periods tend to trigger short, sharp price spikes, so deals can pop up even in a pricey market. One recent example: a station that briefly dropped below $4 in Kearny Mesa before quickly drawing a crowd.
State officials say they are monitoring supply levels and coordinating with refiners as the market tightens. Gov. Gavin Newsom told Reuters that the state’s approach in the coming weeks will lean on existing inventories and fuel imports as Valero moves ahead with idling at Benicia. This story will be updated as San Diego pump prices continue to move.
