Pain at the pump: Richmond gas prices continue upward march

While regular gasoline is up more than $1 in the last month, diesel prices have skyrocketed during that time. (Michael Phillips/The Richmonder)

A week after hitting $4 a gallon, the price of gasoline in Richmond continues to trend upward, with no immediate signs of abating.

AAA, which keeps tabs on local prices, said the average customer paid $4.136 for gasoline in the Richmond area on Sunday, nearly $1 more per gallon than a month ago.

While that will translate to additional costs for area drivers at the pumps, it's the surge in diesel gas prices, which are now up nearly $2 per gallon month-over-month, that has experts predicting rising prices across-the-board.

CNN reported that diesel fuel, which is similar to the heating oil used in many homes, was already in short supply before the recent war in Iran, causing a sharper price spike.

AAA's gas price tracker as of Sunday afternoon.

The national average for regular gasoline has only hit $5 once, on June 11, 2022, amid Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In Richmond, the average has never reached $5 per gallon.

Driving the current spike is Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping lane that carries about 20% of the world's oil supplies.

Contact Michael Phillips at mphillips@richmonder.org.