Average retail gasoline prices in Denver have risen 3.5 cents per gallon higher in the past week, averaging $3.82 per gallon on Sunday, according to the gasoline website .
Prices in Denver on Sunday were 31.4 cents a gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 47.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago.
The average cost of a gallon of gasoline in the United States has increased 1.4 cents per gallon in the last week to $3.91 .
The national average has increased 16.8 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 17.2 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago.
“Gasoline prices in the hardest hit areas have finally shown signs of relief, with gasoline prices falling now in Chicago as they have for a few weeks in California,” said senior petroleum analyst Patrick DeHaan .
“We’re beginning to see refinery utilization rise, indicating refineries are coming out of maintenance and boosting production.”
DeHaan said if the refineries get back on line quickly, “we may see an earlier peak than we have in prior year.”
GasBuddy operates and more than 250 similar websites that track gasoline prices at more than 140,000 gasoline stations in the United States and Canada.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com or twitter@HowardPankratz
