Nebraska’s average price at the gas pump is $3.74 per gallon. That’s up 19 cents in the past week and 59 cents in the past month.
Gregg Laskoski, Senior Petroleum Analyst with GasBuddy.com, says the increase is being seen across the country.
He says it has a lot to do with the fact that at this time of year, refineries have to reduce their inventory of winter blend gasoline.
Laskoski says they have to do this to get ready for summer blend gasoline.
"That has to be available to consumers no later than May 1st. But before they can do that, before they can get into that process, they usually connect a lot of their maintenance tests and checks at this time of year. And that’s before they start that summer blend. And all of these things are reducing the nation’s gasoline supply. There’s no shortage but it is a tighter supply.”
Laskoski says the Department of Energy’s weekly report, This Week in Petroleum, indicates refineries nationwide are operating at 83% capacity, compared to 91% in mid-December.
Currently, GasBuddy.com predicts gas prices will peak in April.