The average price for a gallon of diesel nationwide rose 1½ cents for the week ending April 8, to stand at $3.093 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). With the weekly increase, diesel costs a nickel more than it did a year ago nationwide.
Diesel prices rose in every EIA region in the country with the exception of the New England region of the East Coast, which saw a tiny $0.003 drop in diesel, to finish at $3.193. Overall, the East Coast saw a 1 cent increase, with the Central Atlantic region keeping pace with the national average with a gain of 1½ cents, to stand at 3.324, widening its gap as having the highest diesel prices outside California. With a gain of $0.007, the Lower Atlantic region, at $2.998, is one of three regions where the price of diesel is still below $3 per gallon, along with the Midwest, at $2.993 after an increase of $0.009; and the Gulf Coast, which stands a national-low $2.879 after a increase of $0.007.
Last week, the price of diesel only went up in western portion of the country. Although the increases were coast-to-coast this week, those same western regions were hit noticeably harder. The price increase was steepest in California, where the price for a gallon of diesel went up 6.1 cents, to $3.910. The rest of the West Coast saw an increase of $0.036, to round out the increase along the entire West Coast to 5 cents and an overall average price of $3.591 per gallon.
In the Rocky Mountain region, the price of diesel climbed 2.1 cents, and stands at $3.028.
California not only has the highest diesel prices in the country, but it also has the highest increase over a year ago, a 19.3 cents difference.
The surrounding West Coast and Rocky Mountain regions are currently the only two regions in which the price of diesel is lower than a year ago/
Crude oil prices rose Monday. Brent crude, the international benchmark for oil, rose by 93 cents, to $65.50 a barrel, while U.S. crude ended Monday’s session up 87 cents, at $55.28.
Click here for a complete list of average prices by region for the past three weeks.
