The situation has consumers angry but thinking of options. If things get worse, he says he's taking action. Tuesday's price increases are traced to a fire Saturday in one of the main units of Tosco Corp.'s Wood River plant in southern Illinois. The loss of the 6.2 million gallon daily supply hits thin reserves hard. The Illinois plant played a crucial role in supplying government-mandated reformulated gas to St. Louis and Chicago.
Reserves are so tight.
Any time a source goes out now, it's going to have an immediate effect. And demand isn't showing any signs of slowing down. Drivers winced at the imposing prices they found Tuesday morning. Once the big conglomerates go up, we eventually have to go up, too. According to the Energy Department, the biggest increase in the price of gasoline has been caused by an increase in refining costs and profits.