(WWJ) - No, your eyes aren't deceiving you -- gas prices in Metro Detroit have jumped Friday morning after the BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, was forced to shut down following a power outage last week.
According to AAA, the average price for a gallon of regular gas in Michigan on Friday was $3.22, up from the $3.08 per gallon the day before -- and officials warned increases of another 10 to 25 cents could be on the way.
So what's behind the price push? A power outage at BP's biggest refinery in the Midwest.
Last Thursday, Feb. 1, BP evacuated their Whiting, Indiana plant while local roads were shutdown when the refinery lost power. While the exact cause of the outage remains under investigation, it is believed to have been prompted by failures of two transformers, Reuters reported.
As a precautionary measure, the power loss led to increased flares to shoot out of smokestacks to prevent fires and explosions during the outage.
A BP spokesperson said the refinery is "working toward a phased restart," which could take weeks for the site to reach regular production.
The refinery produces 10 million gallons of gasoline per day.
Those familiar with operations told Reuters that it could take officials two to three weeks to complete inspections of units and piping following the plant-wide power outage.
BP officials will have to also examine miles of piping which reportedly underwent immense strain during the outage.
if any damage is found, repairs could cause the refinery to remain closed for a longer period of time.
Gas prices on Friday were up nearly 40 cents in some areas as drivers prepared for their morning commute. Last month, Michigan prices averaged $2.80 per regular gallon of gas.
