Get ready for $6 a gallon gasoline as new MAP is in effect

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Retail gasoline prices are edging toward or even above $6 per gallon as the new maximum allowable price (MAP) — effective July 15 shows an increase from the previous MAP, with some motorists taking the chance last Thursday morning — July 14 —  to fill up their gas tanks.

“We’re expecting an increase for gasoline and diesel, so there’s been steady traffic for our gas station,” an attendance on the west side of Tutuila told Samoa News after 6a.m. last Thursday, noting that some motorists had also been asking when new gasoline prices would go into effect.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management director, Lisa Tuato’o explained that the new MAP for unleaded gasoline is $$5.0905 — an increase of .6191 from the previous MAP; Land diesel at $5.8780 — increased by .6734; and Kerosene: $5.2832 with an increase of .6191.

Tuao’o, who is also ASG’s chief petroleum officer, as well as director of ODAPM, gave an estimated retail price at the gas pumps of about $5.59 per gallon — give or take — for Unleaded and $5.99 for Diesel. 

“The MAP is the wholesale price and the costs of gas at the gas stations is the retail price,” Tuato’o emphasized and pointed out that contributing factors to the hike, remain the same — the war in Ukraine, increase in price of crude oil globally, increase in demand for summer travel in air, sea and land. 

“Increases in crude oil price per barrel is the main driver for prices that continue to rise,” she explained and thanked Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga “for not increasing the onshore costs to date, as that helped to keep prices down for the people of American Samoa.”

She explained that the onshore costs are fees and taxes added on fuel upon arrival.

Also impacted by the global fuel prices is the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA), which announced early this week that the recent spike in fuel costs, has increased the fuel surcharge portion of the July 2022 kWh rate, since the most recent low in January 2021, by 57%. 

And that equates to a 21 cent increase in the kWh rate.

ASPA reiterated what it said last month that the current war in Ukraine will continue to cause spikes in future fuel costs around the world and will ultimately affect the cost of electricity in American Samoa.

Furthermore, ASPA continues to explore renewable energy options for American Samoa with Wind Turbine technology as well as Solar Photovoltaic Panels (PV). 

Last week Maoputasi Faipule Vailiuama Steve Leasiolagi requested the House ASPA committee to schedule a hearing to discuss the continuous increasing cost of utilities over many months now. The chair of the House ASPA committee, Faipule Alumamalu Filoiali’i Ale acknowledged the concern from his colleague and said that he will speak to ASPA about this issue before they schedule a hearing.