Pain at the pump: Average gas price in Fresno nears $3

Fresno’s average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas now stands at $2.96, which is below the $3 statewide average.

Even so, the Auto Club noted in its latest report that Fresno’s price is up 16 cents per gallon from a month ago and California’s average is well above where it has been over the past year.

“Gas prices in California are the highest they have been in nearly five years,” said John Moreno of AAA Northern California. “While national gas prices are declining, on the West Coast refinery maintenance and the process of switching to the summer-blend gasoline is continuing to have an impact on prices.”

The national average price is $2.28 per gallon.

Refineries on the West Coast are undergoing maintenance, which means less production and thus less supply for California. The state’s gas is a unique blend to meet air-emission requirements.

Elsewhere in the Central Valley, Sacramento’s average is $2.87 and Modesto is $2.79. South Lake Tahoe has the highest price in Northern California, at $3.23. San Francisco stands at $3.13.

This story was originally published March 15, 2017 at 2:42 PM with the headline "Pain at the pump: Average gas price in Fresno nears $3."