Statewide Iowa — While some gas stations in the Southern U.S. have temporarily closed and pump prices are rising on the East Coast, there’s only one report of a Davenport-area convenience store running out of gas, though prices are climbing in many Iowa cities.
Meredith Mitts, spokeswoman for Triple-A Iowa, says the state’s gasoline supply is secure in the wake of last week’s cyberattack on a pipeline’s computers.
The Russian ransomware group DarkSide is reportedly responsible for the disruption of the pipeline providing fuel for much of the Southern and Eastern U.S. Mitts says it’s difficult to predict any ripple effects as a result of the cyberattack.
Gas prices nationwide are averaging three-dollars a gallon, while in Iowa, the statewide average is two-89, which is up almost a dime a gallon in the past week. In Sheldon, as of noon Thursday the pump price was a dime a gallon below the statewide average, at two-79. A year ago, the average Iowa price was more than a buck cheaper, at a dollar-71. Mitts says demand for gas is starting to rise in Iowa as we approach the warmer weather months.
The unofficial start of summer is coming in a few weeks with Memorial Day weekend, which Mitts says should mean a significant uptick in traffic.
