Motorists in California were taken aback when they discovered gas selling for just 59 cents a gallon at a station in the Central Valley. This unusual price drop occurred late Friday and into Saturday at See’s Oasis Mobile in Fresno, where the owner mentioned that hackers were responsible for the dramatic reduction, leading to significant losses for the business.
A driver’s receipt revealed they paid $8.97 for 15 gallons, while another noted a charge of only $3.49 for six gallons. Surprisingly, those receipts indicated that the expected price should have been around $5.95 per gallon, which did not match what they actually paid at the pump.
The situation has since been resolved, but the exact cause remains unclear. Exxon is currently investigating the incident to determine what went wrong.
As of Tuesday, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in California reached an astonishing $5.822, which is more than 10 cents higher than the average on Saturday and over a dollar more than just a month prior, as reported by the American Automobile Association. This spike in prices seems to coincide with ongoing tensions related to the Iran war.
Prior to the recent conflict, California’s average gas price was around $4.642, still significantly above the national average of $2.982. Compounding the issue, Governor Gavin Newsom’s environmental policies have drawn criticism from lawmakers and experts who warn that prices could potentially rise above $8 a gallon.
In California, drivers face what is known as the “California premium,” stemming from higher state taxes and fees linked to the state’s climate initiatives. Additionally, the state requires a unique fuel blend to combat smog, which only a few local refineries and some overseas producers can manufacture.
This month, Chevron sent a stark warning letter to Governor Newsom, suggesting that California could face economic repercussions due to his perceived “misguided” climate policies.
The California Post has sought further comments from the owners of See’s Oasis and Exxon regarding the matter.
