Rhode Island Gas Prices See First Increase Since May

Gas prices in Rhode Island and across the country over the past week, the first increase since early May. Here in Rhode Island, the average cost for a gallon of regular, unleaded gas went up three cents, bringing the average cost to $2.70 per gallon.

AAA Northeast said the sudden increase can be blamed on high demand despite lower supply, higher prices for crude oil and the closure of a major refinery in Philadelphia.

"For the more than 41 million motorists hitting the road this week to celebrate the Independence Day holiday, they will find gas prices cheaper than Memorial Day weekend, but more expensive than they’ve been paying the last few weeks," said Diana Imondi, AAA Northeast Manager of Public Affairs & Traffic Safety. "It’s typical to see increases at the pump ahead of the holiday, but we may see prices continue to jump throughout the month due to refinery interruptions on the East Coast, increasing demand and fluctuations in crude oil price."

Rhode Island's average price is just one cent lower than the national average of $2.71. This time last year, the average price was significantly higher at $2.92.

Across the state, gas prices range 44 cents from a low of $2.55 to a high of $2.99. Here's a look at the breakdown of average prices and range by grade.

Regular Unleaded: $2.70 ($2.55-$2.99)

Midgrade Unleaded: $2.92 ($2.75-$3.05)

Premium Unleaded: $3.13 ($2.95-$3.34)

Diesel: $3.03 ($2.79-$3.35)