After a whopping 13.1-cent increase four weeks ago, the national average retail price of a gallon of diesel has stayed basically the same since, this week seeing a 2.0-cent dip to $2.201.
The price saw a modest climb three weeks ago, 0.7 cent, and two weeks ago saw a modest 0.1-cent hike; last week saw a small 0.8-cent decline. This week’s price is $1.976 less than the same week last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
All regions tracked by DOE saw price decreases. The largest decrease by region, 2.6 cents, was found in the Lower Atlantic, where week-over-week prices fell to $2.171. The smallest decrease by region, 0.4 cent, was found in the Rocky Mountains, where week-over-week prices fell to $2.27.
The nation’s most expensive diesel by region, $2.395, was found in New England, where week-over-week prices fell 0.8 cent. The nation’s least expensive diesel by region, $2.142, was found in the Midwest, where week-over-week prices fell 2.4 cents.
California, which DOE tracks separately for its weekly update, saw a price decrease of 2.0 cent to $2.32; that price is $2.07 cheaper than last year. For state-by-state diesel prices, updated daily, click here.
DOE said last week in its monthly short-term energy outlook that diesel fuel will average $2.23 a gallon nationally this quarter and rise to $2.31 in the third quarter. DOE projects that diesel will average $2.30 this year, up from the March forecast of $2.19. Next year, the price is projected to rise to an average $2.69, a sharp increase from the $2.51 projected last month. Diesel averaged $3.79 last year, when the record of $4.764 was set last July.
