Some gas stations in California have reportedly reached the maximum price their digital fuel displays can show, with diesel prices hitting $9.999 per gallon.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said five California gas stations had reached $9.999 per gallon — the highest figure typically possible on displays that use four digits. The figures were based on GasBuddy data. De Haan did not identify the specific stations or cities but shared a screenshot showing the reported prices. California Diesel Prices Surge California's average diesel price stood at $7.76 per gallon as of September 9, according to the US Energy Information Administration. The price was 55 cents higher than a week earlier and had risen $2.81 from the same period last year. Diesel prices have also surged across the US. The national average reached a record $5.87 per gallon, surpassing the previous record of $5.81 set in June 2022. According to the EIA, the national diesel average rose 3.7 cents week-on-week and was up $1.97 compared with a year earlier. The sharp increase comes as the US war with Iran continues and global fuel supplies remain under pressure following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. California Gas Stations Report Extremely High Prices California has seen several reports of unusually high fuel prices at individual stations. In Fenner, California, regular gasoline was reportedly selling for $9.69 per gallon, according to CBS 12 News. A Chevron station in downtown Los Angeles was also reportedly charging $8.89 per gallon for diesel and $8.29 for regular gasoline in May. California regulators have reportedly launched investigations into unusually high fuel prices at individual stations in the San Bernardino and Los Angeles areas. However, no alleged pricing outliers have been proven. Trump Says Gas Prices Could Fall After Midterms President Donald Trump has repeatedly promised that fuel prices will fall, while acknowledging that oil prices may not decline significantly until after the US midterm elections. “Right after the election, oil prices are going to be tumbling downward. They're going to be tumbling down, and we'll get them down. I think for gasoline we'll get them below $2 a gallon,” Trump said on Wednesday. Trump has blamed high fuel prices on the ongoing war and has previously criticised what he called excessive prices at the pump. “Customers are being ‘gouged,’” Trump wrote on Truth Social earlier this year, adding that gasoline prices needed to fall “a lot faster”. The administration has also authorised the release of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to ease pressure on fuel prices. The US released 172 million barrels from the reserve earlier this year. Department of Energy data showed the reserve fell by about 1.2 million barrels last week to 285.4 million barrels.
