WASHINGTON - Contractors can expect average retail prices for regular gasoline in the United States to average $2.23 per gallon during the so-called “summer driving season,” which runs from April through September. That’s the latest projection from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Energy Information Administration (EIA), which released its Summer Fuels Outlook as part of its monthly Short-Term Energy Outlook.

The $2.23 per gallon figure represents a moderate increase from the current average price of about $2.05 per gallon, but it’s still nearly $1.60 per gallon lower than during last year’s driving season. The monthly average price of regular gasoline is expected to peak at $2.30 per gallon this summer, according to the EIA. Meanwhile, a continued lack of demand for diesel fuel may push its price below that of gasoline this summer.

Publication date: 04/20/2009