LUZERNE COUNTY, Pa. — Back in March, gas prices spiked, hitting an average of $3 a gallon in Pennsylvania, among the highest cost in the nation.
AAA officials said in part that was because winter storms stopped work at some refineries, but experts said things seem to be back on track now.
“If demand goes up, production can go up because the world’s production has been sort of mothballed over the last year, so it will be pretty easy to increase the supply of oil if the demand for oil goes up," said Jay Hakes, energy policy expert and author of a recent book on energy crises.
That demand is expected to explode.
As restrictions ease and more people get vaccinated, more are expected to travel in the coming weeks and months.
So what will they pay for fuel and airline tickets?
“It may look to people that a little bit like prices are going up because last year at this time Covid had just hit. Prices will be sort of in a normal range.”
Energy experts like Hakes said keeping perspective right now is key.
“We have to look at this historically. There have been times when we have had gasoline crises, and people couldn’t find gasoline at the pump, and prices are exploding, but that’s not what we have this year.”