AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- Despite potential impacts from Hurricane Ida on gas and oil production along the Gulf coast, Austin-area pump prices only rose slightly this week, according to AAA Texas' Weekend Gas Watch.
The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel in the Austin-San Marcos metro area rose one cent this week to $2.76 a gallon. That's some 88 cents higher than a year ago.
Across the state, drivers are paying an average of $2.81 a gallon, which is two cents higher on the week and 90 cents higher than a year ago. Nationwide, drivers are seeing an average of $3.18 a gallon, which is three cents higher than last week and 95 cents higher than a year ago.
Across the state, drivers in El Paso are paying the most on average at $3.16 per gallon while drivers in Victoria are paying the least at $2.69 per gallon.
Despite Ida's threat to gas and production facilities along the Gulf Coast, AAA says operations could resume for many of those facilities in the coming weeks. Refineries are conducting initial infrastructure inspections to assess a timeline for safely resuming operations, and the Colonial Pipeline announced Tuesday morning that operations have returned to normal after shutting down over the weekend.
“Ida’s impact at the pump will be felt for many drivers as we head into the final stretch of the summer driving season this Labor Day holiday weekend,” said AAA Texas spokesperson Daniel Armbruster. “However, the pump price increases caused by the large hurricane should only be temporary.”
