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Gas Prices Go Up Because Of Irene
By: Associated Press
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Ohio gasoline prices have shot up 15 cents since the beginning of the week ahead of expected refinery shutdowns due to Hurricane Irene.
The storm was forecast to hit East Coast refining operations by Sunday. As of Friday, refineries were starting to switch off equipment and tie things down.
Gas prices are rising amid concerns that supplies could be disrupted.
In Ohio, a survey from auto club AAA, the Oil Price Information Service and Wright Express put Friday's average cost for regular-grade at $3.66 a gallon, compared to $3.51 on Monday.
Three years ago, U.S. pump prices jumped 21 cents a gallon in just eight days as Hurricane Ike swept through the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall at Galveston, Texas. That storm eventually made its way to Ohio.