Idaho gas prices get eclipsed
As locations along the Aug. 21 eclipse “path of totality” prepare for a massive influx of visitors anxious to witness the event, AAA advises increased fuel demand will likely apply upward pressure on gas prices in Idaho and other affected states.
For the first time since 1918, a coast-to-coast solar eclipse will cross the United States, and Idaho is well-positioned to offer prime viewing opportunities statewide. As a result, Gem State emergency planners are preparing for more than 500,000 eclipse tourists from neighboring states. About a million more visitors are expected in Oregon.
“It’s been another strong summer for travel activity, with no immediate signs of letting up,” AAA Idaho spokesman Matthew Conde said in a news release. “The eclipse and Labor Day travel could provide a one-two punch that keeps gas prices moving higher for the foreseeable future.”
AAA encourages Idahoans traveling or staying close to home to keep a full gas tank in the coming days to avoid the potential for higher prices and longer lines at the pump.
The average price of regular unleaded in the Gem State on Tuesday was $2.65, which is 12 cents higher than a month ago and 21 cents higher than a year ago. Over the past week, Idaho prices have increased by about 9 cents per gallon. In the Rockies region, gasoline inventories have almost reached the low for the year.
Nationwide pump prices are also on the rise. A gallon of gas currently costs $2.35, which is 10 cents higher than a month ago and 23 cents higher than a year ago.
Since the beginning of August, crude oil prices have hovered near the $49 mark. Crude oil started the day Tuesday trading at $47.49 per barrel. OPEC and non-OPEC nations have committed to increased production cut compliance, and domestic oil inventories continue to drop, but new oil exploration is still expanding in the U.S. Last week, three oil rigs were added to the count, bringing the total to 768 — 372 rigs more than last year’s count at this time.
“There are conflicting signs in the marketplace right now,” Conde said. “When oil inventories go down, the number of active oil rigs often follows suit. Current conditions suggest that oil companies remain confident that American crude oil can be processed at a reasonable price point.”
AAA Oregon/Idaho is preparing for some 6,000 roadside assistance requests per day around the eclipse event. The main culprits will be depleted batteries, lockouts, and flat tires, but with the potential for severe gridlock on congested freeways and two-lane state highways, requests for fuel could also increase.