It’s no surprise — local gasoline and electric charges spike

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The price of gasoline continues to increase in American Samoa, as the new maximum allowable price (MAP) — or the wholesale price released by ASG’s Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) —effective yesterday, shows another hike.

And the spike in fuel prices — due to the global market — also plays a role in another hike in the fuel cost for the American Samoa Power Authority (ASPA), which reported an increase in the June fuel surcharge.

GAS PRICES

The hike in gasoline price — which is at more than $5 a gallon at local gas stations has not kept motorists off the road and with more COVID-19 restrictions eased plus graduation season as well, traffic on the road remains busy. Although some motorists still complain about the high cost.

For the new MAP, “unleaded fuel” has risen from $4.3299 per gallon in May to $4.8053 per gallon effective June 15, and that’s a 47 cent increase per gallon, according to ASG Chief Petroleum Officer, Lisa Tuato’o, who is also ODAPM director, responding to Samoa News inquiries.

For land diesel, it has risen 20 cents per gallon from $4.7806 in May to $4.9842 effective June 15.

“These are wholesale prices before the gas station owners add their mark-up, meaning we will see an increase in fuel prices this month,” Tuato’o said Tuesday as some consumers had inquired with Samoa News about where gas prices stand during this week of public high school graduation ceremonies.

As previously reported by Samoa News, the retail price of gasoline surpassed the $5 per gallon mark, in mid April, as the Russian/ Ukraine war bumped up the price per barrel, in addition to refinery and transportation costs. 

It should be noted that with the new MAP, the price of kerosene also went up, according to a gas station attendant, who told Samoa News that they have a lot of customers that buy kerosene.

One gas station on the west side of Tutuila that was selling gas at around $5.15 per gallon had the new price —as of 7a.m. yesterday — at nearly $5.80 per gallon.

FUEL SURCHARGE

Also impacted by the global fuel prices is ASPA, which announced early this week that the recent spike in fuel costs, also noticeable at the local gas stations, has increased the fuel surcharge portion of the June 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 is 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). 

One of those renewable energy projects is being carried out by Tutuila Wind Energy LLC of American Samoa, which has invited the general public to the first voluntary town hall meeting set for June 18 from 10 AM to 11:30 AM at the American Samoa Community College Multipurpose Center. (See Samoa News online edition June 14 for details).