Gas prices have been steadily going up over the last couple of weeks.
The American Automobile Association, or AAA, said the average cost per gallon in California is nearly $5, up from the national average of $3.50 per gallon.
"Price is going up, but price for everything is going up," said Alejandro Valdez, who spent $100 on Monday to fill up his Jeep.
AAA said the price per gallon is only slightly higher than where it was at this time last year. But in many areas, some gas stations feature prices above $5 per gallon.
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GasBuddy, a market research app, said prices in California might still inch higher because the state is already transitioning into the cleaner summer blend, which is more expensive.
The hope is refineries also keep pace with the increase in demand during the spring and summer.
"Refineries usually carry out seasonal maintenance before the start of the summer driving season so they can meet production levels during the summer," said Patrick De Haan said with GasBuddy.
The California Energy Commission has a new watchdog division that looks into possible price gouging at the pump.
However, GasBuddy does not think there is any gouging taking place at the moment and it is the California market adapting to the increased demand, and the use of cleaner gas.
