Gas Prices at Lowest Point this Year
COLUMBIA, SC (WOLO) (AAA)– You’ll find relief at the pump, where prices are below $3.00 a gallon in many areas across the Midlands.
AAA says the average gas price in South Carolina is 16 cents cheaper than a month ago, marking the lowest price in 2013.
According to AAA, we’re paying an average of $3.09, compared to $3.25 a month ago.
“Falling gas prices is great news for drivers,” said David E. Parsons, president and CEO of AAA Carolinas. “We expect prices to continue trending downward, barring any major supply or distribution issues, such as tensions in the Middle East or a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.”
The dramatic drop in gas prices is a result of decreased demand due to the end of the summer driving season, refineries’ switch to cheaper winter fuel blends and lower crude oil prices.
The current federal government shutdown also pressures prices downward, as furloughed workers aren’t commuting to jobs, resulting in even lower gas consumption. The Carolinas and the District of Columbia are both serviced by the Colonial Pipeline, which transports refined petroleum products up the East Coast.
