Leftover fuel from a warm winter has kept fuel prices above $6.00 a gallon in Dillingham.
The drop in the price of oil has caused an economic catastrophe for the state budget but it has meant cheaper prices at the gas pump for many in the lower 48... but those savings haven’t yet reached Southwest Alaska. KDLG heard concerns from people who had expected the prices at the pump would have dropped by now. For example, take this gentlemen who called into Open Line last Friday...
Audio transcript:
“Here we are in June, the first week, and we’re still paying top dollar. Hope we don’t get the screws put to us all summer here with the high gas price. Ok, that’s all I got."
The current price of fuel in Dillingham is 6.15 - down from about 6.33 a few weeks ago. Facility Manager of Delta Western in Dillingham, Ken Reiswig, says prices haven’t gone down yet because there is still a lot of left over fuel from the winter.
“Because there was no snow and warm winter we didn’t sell as much fuel as we had planned for, so we have fuel left over,” said Reiswig.
And until that fuel is used up, Reiswig says prices will probably hold steady were they’re at for now. But the cheaper fuel coming in may eventually lower prices.
“Whatever price fuel comes in we adjust our prices based on what’s in the tank,” added Reiswig.
Lawrence Sifsof spoke to KDLG at a pump in Dillingham Wednesday morning. He isn’t holding out much hope that prices will drop anytime soon.
“Because why would they go down now when they are keeping them this high this far?” questioned Sifsof.
Fuel prices in Ekwok are close to Dillingham’s at about 6.25. Koliganek and Togiak are a little cheaper at 5.75 and 5.33, respectively.
One person at the pumps in Dillingham told KDLG that there are some mysteries in life he chooses not to explore - he says the price of fuel in rural Alaska is one of them.