PROVIDENCE – The price of gasoline fell 2 cents in Rhode Island this week and 6 cents in Massachusetts, mirroring a national downward trend despite high-profile conflicts in overseas oil-producing countries and declining domestic refinery production, according to the weekly survey by AAA Southern New England.
A gallon of self-serve, unleaded regular averaged $3.59 in Rhode Island in the Aug. 12 survey, 2 cents lower than the price a week ago. In Massachusetts, the average price for self-serve, unleaded regular dropped 6 cents to $3.51 per gallon.
In Rhode Island, the average price this week was 14 cents lower than the average a month ago, while in Massachusetts, prices were 17 cents lower than last month. A year ago, the same gas cost $3.76 per gallon in Rhode Island and $3.66 per gallon in Massachusetts.
Self-serve, unleaded regular ranged in price from $3.43 to $3.78 across the Ocean State in the survey. The average per-gallon prices for different grades of gas ranged from $3.80 for mid-grade unleaded to $3.92 for both premium unleaded and diesel.
The price for self-serve, unleaded regular in Massachusetts ranged from $3.28 to $3.90 per gallon. Mid-grade unleaded averaged $3.70 this week, while premium unleaded cost an average of $3.83 per gallon, and diesel posted an average price of $3.91 per gallon.
The national average price for unleaded regular dropped 3 cents this week to $3.47 per gallon, 12 cents less than the Rhode Island average and 4 cents less than the average in Massachusetts.