SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The average price for a gallon of gas in San Diego rose again Saturday, increasing a cent and pushing San Diego's average into the $4 region.
While consumers have seen pockets of $4 a gallon gas in previous weeks, Saturday marked the first time since 2015 the county's average climbed over $4.
This compares to the state's overall average of $3.98 a gallon and the national average of $2.82 a gallon.
MAP: To find the best price on gasoline around San Diego County
San Diego's average gallon of regular gas cost $4.02 a gallon Saturday, up from $3.99 on Friday and $3.77 a week ago. At this time last year, San Diego County was paying $3.57 a gallon on average.
A series of refinery issues have made high demand even more costly for drivers.
A fire shut down the Wilmington Phillips 66 refinery on March 15. Then, the Valero refinery in the Bay Area shut down due to a scrubber malfunction days later. Two plants in Southern California experienced outages in El Segundo and Wilmington. PBF Energy in Torrance had routine maintenance, which decreased production.
RELATED: Flying cars wouldn't just save time — they could help the environment, study says
Out of state refineries could help California out with production, but supplies take time to ship.
To make matters worse, the Energy Information Administration says 2019 could show the highest gasoline demand on record as early as this summer, considering early demand numbers for April, AAA reports. The EIA added that shrinking supplies and high demand could push prices at the pump higher.
The county's highest average on record was achieved in October 2012, when the average price for a gallon of regular gas was $4.72.
