Gas prices continue to soar in Nevada

By Conor Shine (contact)

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012 | 6 p.m.

Gas prices continue to climb throughout Nevada, with every metro area seeing an increase of at least 15 cents a gallon over the past month, according to data released Tuesday by the AAA auto club.

Statewide, a gallon of gasoline costs an average of $3.81, an increase of 12 cents from last month and an increase of 11 cents compared with this time last year. Nevada has the 15th cheapest prices in the country, where the average price for a gallon of gas is $3.84, a 14-cent increase from August.

Experts expect gas prices to stabilize and begin dropping over the coming months, AAA said, as demand from the summer driving period drops off and hurricane season ends.

In Las Vegas, the average price of gas increased by 21 cents over the last month to $3.70. Gas costs an average of $3.71 in Henderson, a 21-cent increase, and $3.64 in North Las Vegas, which has the lowest price of any metro area in the state.

Sparks has the highest pump prices in the state, with an average cost of $4.07 per gallon. In Reno, the average price was $4.05 per gallon, a 15-cent increase, and in Carson City the price was $4.00, a 25-cent increase.

The country’s cheapest gas can be found in El Paso, Texas, at $3.50 per gallon, while Chicago has the country’s highest prices, with a gallon of gas costing $4.48, AAA said.