LA Auto Club: Gas Prices Inch Lower -- But Power Outage Could Send Them Higher

LOS ANGELES--Sept. 16, 2005--Gas prices throughout Southern California inched lower in recent days, but the widespread power outage this week in Los Angeles caused refineries to interrupt operations resulting in thin supplies. This is a situation that likely could send prices higher next week, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California's Weekend Gas Watch.

The average price of self-serve regular gasoline in the Los Angeles-Long Beach area is $2.976, which is 1.6 cents lower than last week, 22 cents higher than last month and 90 cents higher than last year. In San Diego, the price is $3.021 -- nine-tenths of a cent below last week's price, 24 cents above last month and 91 cents above last year. On the Central Coast, the average price is $3.074, down 2.7 cents from last week, 23 cents higher than last month and 83 cents higher than last year. In the Inland Empire, the average price is $2.994, down 3.1 cents from last week, 26 cents above last month and 89 cents higher than last year.

"Effects of the power outage likely will be felt beginning this weekend as Southern California motorists deal with thin supply caused by interrupted refining operations," Auto Club spokeswoman Carol Thorp said.

The Weekend Gas Watch monitors the average price of gasoline as of 12:01 a.m., Sept. 16:

Area                            Regular  Change from   Record Price
                                          last week

Los Angeles-Long Beach           $2.976  -1.6 cents  $2.999 (9/6/2005)

Orange County                    $2.947  -1.4 cents  $2.970 (9/6/2005)

San Diego                        $3.021  -0.9 cents  $3.060 (9/5/2005)

Santa Barbara-Santa Maria-Lompoc $3.074  -2.7 cents  $3.111 (9/7/2005)

Riverside-San Bernardino         $2.994  -3.1 cents  $3.030 (9/9/2005)

Bakersfield                      $3.129  -2.9 cents  $3.167 (9/9/2005)

Las Vegas                        $2.919  -2.9 cents  $2.968 (9/8/2005)