LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — You may have noticed gas guzzling up more of your money at the gas pump locally.
According to AAA, as of mid-September, the national average is currently $3.22 per gallon, but here in Nevada, it's $4 per gallon — putting us at 4th in the nation for the highest average gas price.
I wanted to know why we here in the Silver State are different from the rest of the country.
So I reached out to Nevada AAA spokesperson John Treanor for answers.
Why aren't our prices in conjunction with what's happening with the rest of the country here in Nevada?
"There's much of the country and then there's California. And that's really what it is right now," Treanor said.
"This is what's called oil refinery maintenance season. And I know for people for little pumps, they don't really know what that is. The oil refineries that turn oil into gasoline that we get in the data are all off the coast of California. And every year, right after the summer rush in September. Some of those refineries go offline to do maintenance, which means they can't make gasoline. Because of that, there's a crunch on supply and demand. So the prices go up."
Treanor told me once the "winter blend of gasoline" comes out in the very near future, Nevadans will see gas prices come down and give up some relief at the pump.
