The U.S. average retail price for on-highway diesel fuel rose to $5.454 per gallon for the week of Aug. 17, according to the Energy Information Administration weekly survey released Aug. 18.
The reading marks an increase of 19.7 cents from the prior week's average of $5.257 and stands $1.741 above the level recorded a year earlier. Two weeks ago the national average was $5.348. The published figure includes all taxes and comes from a weekly survey of retail outlets across the country.
Every region tracked by the agency posted a weekly gain. The West Coast recorded the highest regional average at $6.203 per gallon, up 17 cents. California alone averaged $6.785, up 16.7 cents. The West Coast excluding California came in at $5.699.
On the East Coast the average reached $5.340, a gain of 14.7 cents. Within that region, the Central Atlantic averaged $5.652 and New England averaged $5.545. The Lower Atlantic, which covers Georgia and neighboring states, averaged $5.204 after rising 17 cents on the week, the lowest of the East Coast subregions.
The Midwest posted the largest weekly increase among the broad regions at 25.4 cents, reaching $5.435. Gulf Coast diesel averaged $5.237, up 19.3 cents, and the Rocky Mountain region averaged $5.427, up 15.6 cents.
Gasoline moved by a smaller margin over the same week. The national average for regular gasoline rose 4.3 cents to $4.049 per gallon, and stands 92.4 cents above its level a year earlier.
The agency has scheduled its next weekly fuel price update for Aug. 25.
Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration - https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/