Prices are pumping! Why is it costing more for gas?

BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — If you’ve been to the gas station over the last couple of weeks, you know it’s costing more to fill up these days.

With gas prices on the rise, many people aren’t excited to see the higher rate at the pump.

“The way gas prices are, we won’t be able to travel, like for emergencies you’ll have to save your gas for emergencies, and stuff like that, or you going straight to work and going back home,” driver Lee Hemingway said. “It’s out of hand.”

“I pay it and you know, I get on, because I need to drive and you need to go places and you need to get stuff done, so you know it’s kind of not too much in our hands whether or not we are effected by the price increase,” driver Max Vosper said.

According to AAA, the average price of gas in North Carolina last month was $2.29 cents. This month, gas prices jumped 27 cents, now averaging at more than $2.50 cents. Across the Cape Fear area, you’ll pay anywhere between $2.54 and $2.60 per gallon.

AAA Carolinas Spokeswoman Tiffany Wright explained why we’re seeing the price go up at the pump.

“Big reason is that February winter storm which wreaked havoc on our refineries,” Wright said. “We had 26 refineries down. So, what you saw was a tightening of supplies.”

She also noted other factors contributing to the increased rate.

“Crude oil prices are going up, demand is going up, I think that’s why we’re seeing these spike at the pump,” Wright said. “Typically, what happens with gas prices is, you know, they will shoot up like a rocket, and they’ll fall like a feather. So, they never go down as quickly as they go up, unfortunately.”

As spring travel season approaches, AAA anticipates gas prices will continue to rise as demand grows.