Gas price relief unlikely
<p>Michaela Schaffer, 18, fills up her gas tank Wednesday at the A and D Mini Mart pumps in Coeur d’Alene.</p>
POST FALLS - Local gas prices aren't expected to cool off as we head into summer.
Kootenai County residents are paying less than they were a year ago and less than their Idaho and U.S. counterparts, but the big-picture prognosis is that pump prices are expected to remain high during the summer travel season, according to AAA Idaho.
"Part of that prediction reflects significantly higher driver demand or consumption," said Dave Carlson, AAA Idaho spokesman. "Stronger demand is a key to sustained high prices as refineries work harder to keep up."
National gasoline consumption in May was the highest since 2011 for the month, according to the Energy Information Administration.
Carlson said the summer outlook is similar to what transpired with prices last summer.
The average gas price in Coeur d'Alene on Wednesday was $3.48 per gallon, according to AAA. That's up from $3.44 a month ago and $2.96 six months ago, but lower than $3.67 a year ago at this time.
The average price in Post Falls on Wednesday was $3.61, down 8 cents from a year ago.
Idaho's average price is $3.62. It peaked at $3.63 on May 16.
"We think it's reasonable to assume that prices will remain near a range of $3.55 to $3.70 per gallon," Carlson said. "We're not aware of any regional refinery maintenance - either planned or otherwise - that would influence Idaho pump prices in a major way."
The national average, which is $3.66, reached a high of $3.70 per gallon on April 28. That mark could be the peak for the year. Gas prices often peak in the spring as refineries conduct maintenance and produce less gasoline.
Coeur d'Alene's average price, which is the lowest among seven large cities in the state, has remained below the state cost throughout the year.
"You have go back to December 2012 to find the last time Coeur d'Alene prices were on par with or higher than the Idaho average," Carlson said.
"There are times when the price differential has been a nickel or so, but for the most part, prices in Coeur d'Alene have been substantially lower during this period, suggesting that the region's access to lower-priced gasoline from wholesalers has been a boon to the area. Competition among retailers could also be partly responsible for lower prices."