SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA NEWS • LOS ANGELES • ORANGE COUNTY • INLAND EMPIRE • SAN DIEGO
← All stories

California switches early to winter gasoline blend as prices climb

The state suspended its summer-fuel requirement early, allowing cheaper winter-blend gasoline to be made, imported and sold immediately.

Illustrative Southern California image

Image credit: TaurusEmerald / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; archival July 2021 photograph of an ARCO gasoline pump in Manteca, not current prices or the September 2026 state action

California suspended its seasonal summer-blend gasoline requirement for the rest of the season and directed state agencies to allow winter-blend fuel to be manufactured, imported, distributed and sold immediately, Reuters reported September 29. The move is intended to expand supply as fuel costs rise across the state and particularly in Southern California.

What it means locally

ABC7 Los Angeles reported early September 30 that regular gasoline averaged $6.43 a gallon in the Los Angeles area, 20 cents more than a week earlier, while diesel was approaching $8.40 a gallon. GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan told the station that winter-blend fuel could begin reaching pumps within five to 10 days and might reduce prices by roughly 15 to 25 cents a gallon, although global supply disruptions could limit the relief. The accompanying photograph shows an ARCO gasoline pump in Manteca in July 2021 and is archival; it does not depict current prices or the state action.

Full report and further details: Read original report →