Fuel costs dip in Washington, across region
Gasoline prices declined for a second consecutive week in Western Pennsylvania.
The average price of a gallon of unleaded self-serve gasoline is $2.830, down 2.4 cents from $2.854 last week, AAA East Central reported Monday afternoon. The current price is 22.0 cents higher than it was the third week of December 2018, at $2.610.
Washington’s average dropped 2.8 cents this week to $2.743, from $2.771. The city’s average is the fifth-lowest among 22 Western Pennsylvania cities and towns monitored by AAA. Washington ranked fourth last week, third the week before.
For the second consecutive week, New Castle ($2.655) has the cheapest gas. Latrobe ($2.689) is second, followed by Greensburg ($2.702). Uniontown ($2.869) ranks 16th.
Meadville ($2.952) has the most expensive fuel, 0.1 cents higher than Warren ($2.951).
Pennsylvania’s average dropped a penny to $2.75, the highest average among states in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast region. Regional prices remained fairly steady, the largest decrease being three cents in Delaware to $2.31. Virginia ($2.29) has the lowest average for a second straight week.
And, like last week, gasoline stocks increased by a substantial 1.6 million barrels, according to the Energy Information Administration. Stocks are at 62.3 million barrels, the highest level in six weeks and nearly three million above the total a year ago.
The national average dropped two cents to $2.55, about a nickel below the price at the beginning of December. Decreasing fuel demand and rising stocks have been keeping prices lower.