COLDWATER,MI (WTVB) – Just as gas prices seemed to be retreating from the near record highs earlier this month, drivers in Branch County and across Southwest Michigan are being warned of a potential surge in fuel costs due to renewed refinery disruptions, according to GasBuddy.
While prices in Coldwater and the surrounding area had seen a near 45-cent decline from early May highs, petroleum analysts now expect a “jolt higher” this week.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, says that a recent explosion at a Louisiana refinery and persistent maintenance issues at Midwest facilities have created a “calm before the storm,” threatening to reverse the recent downward trend across the Great Lakes states.
The anticipated price hike comes as Michigan continues to grapple with a volatile energy market exacerbated by international conflicts and low gasoline inventories. Earlier this month, a major power outage at the Whiting Refinery in Indiana—the primary supplier for the region—sent local prices as high as $4.99 per gallon.
With these local supply chains already operating with little margin for error, further regional outages could quickly push Branch County pump prices back toward record levels, potentially exceeding the $4.70 mark by mid-week.
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