AAA: Recent increases in gas prices ‘troubling for consumers’

By Kyle B. Hansen

Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2011 | 2:49 p.m.

The last time gas prices in January were this high they would go on to set record highs, AAA warned in its monthly fuel price report.

The average price of a gallon of gas in Nevada is $3.12, according to AAA. That’s up 5 cents from last month and 27 cents from a year ago.

Las Vegas’ average gas price was $3.08, a 5-cent increase from last month. North Las Vegas and Henderson are both averaging $3.09, a 6-cent increase for North Las Vegas and a 3-cent increase for Henderson.

Nationally, the average cost for a gallon of gas is $3.09, an 11-cent increase for the month.

Today’s average price is the highest for January since 2008, six months before Las Vegas hit a record high price of $4.28 per gallon on June 21, 2008, according to the auto club. Reno’s record price of $4.22 came the following day.

While gasoline demand in the United States has been decreasing, global demand is on the rise and positive economic indicators here are keeping prices high, AAA spokesman Michael Geeser said in the report.

A barrel of crude oil costs about $90, the highest since January 2008.

“The significance of crude oil trading as high as it did in the winter 2008 is somewhat troubling for consumers,” he said. “It was in 2008 that prices went on to set records. One reason for that was the starting point for prices in the winter of 2008. The fact that gas prices are starting out the year well above $3 a gallon is troubling.”

Nevada is tied with Florida, Massachusetts and Wisconsin for the 17th highest gas prices in the nation, when excluding Alaska and Hawaii.

Prices in Northern Nevada are higher than in Clark County, but increases in the past month in the north were more varied.

The average price went up 4 cents in Reno and Sparks, to $3.21 and $3.22, respectively. Elko’s average rose just 1 cent, to $3.04, but Carson City’s average price jumped 9 cents, to $3.13.

Other western cities also saw price increases in the last month. Los Angeles’ average price increased 8 cents to $3.34 per gallon, San Francisco was up 7 cents to $3.43 and Phoenix’s average price rose 5 cents to an average of $2.95.

Prices in Utah were more stable than other places in the region, with Salt Lake City’s average increasing just 1 cent to $2.92 and St. George’s average dropping 1 cent to $2.73.

The highest gas prices in the county are in Hawaii, with an average of $3.69 per gallon, and Alaska with a $3.57 average. California has the highest average in the lower 48 states, $3.35 per gallon.