COLUMBIA, S.C. — Numbers shared by AAA show South Carolina is seeing a considerable gas price increase in line with what many are seeing across the United States.
According to the travel company’s averages, the price for a gallon of gas was $3.75 – up 29 cents from a week ago when the price was an already substantial $3.46. And residents in two Midlands counties, Kershaw and Calhoun, appeared to be hit the hardest.
Still, the state average is under that of the country as a whole which GasBuddy reports hit the $4 mark for the first time since 2008 this week.
Another near record at the national level is simply how quickly gas prices have climbed. GasBuddy reports that the United States has seen an average spike of 41 cents over the past seven days and a one-day increase of 15.8 cents, which it described as the second-largest daily increase on record.
AAA reports that the rising price of gas is being fueled by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and sanctions that are spoiling Russia’s ability to export crude oil. And that, mixed with higher demand, is not only causing prices to rise but will likely send them even higher in the immediate future.