Diesel prices rose 3.4 cents during the week ended Monday, Dec. 13 — approximately the same amount of increase the week before, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration. The national average price is now $3.231, which is 28 cents higher than the level at the end of September when prices began to surge. Diesel prices are 48.3 cents higher than they were during the same week last year and are at their highest level since late October 2008, when diesel prices were plummeting from their all-time high that summer.
As during the week before, prices rose in all regions. The largest jump was in New England, where the average price rose 5.8 cents. Traditionally, New England diesel prices are most susceptible to sharp increases in winter months because that region uses oil for home heating more than others. Home heating oil and diesel compete for the same distillate stocks.
The next-largest increase was in California, where prices rose 5.1 cents. As usual, California had the higest average prices while the Gulf Coast had the lowest.
Complete diesel price information for the week ended Dec. 13 is available on the EIA’s website.
