Article Summary –
Gas prices in the Midwestern states around the Great Lakes saw significant increases, with Indiana experiencing the highest rise at 83.3 cents, while Michigan recorded the largest weekly increase in diesel prices at 90.3 cents. The increases were attributed to refinery issues in Whiting, Indiana, including a power outage and labor disputes, though early signs of resolution could alleviate extreme price pressures. Despite claims from political figures about lowering energy costs, the outlook remains uncertain with potential for continued price volatility.
Midwestern states around the Great Lakes experienced the steepest gas price hikes in the U.S. last week.
Wisconsin’s gas prices surged 44.8 cents, marking the fifth-largest increase nationwide, according to GasBuddy, which gathers real-time gas price data.
Indiana led with an 83.3-cent rise, followed by Ohio (78.1 cents), Michigan (68 cents), and Illinois (49.3 cents).
Diesel prices in Michigan saw a 90.3-cent hike, the largest in the U.S., while Wisconsin’s diesel prices jumped 73.2 cents, the third-largest increase, according to GasBuddy.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, stated in a blog post that every state saw gas prices rise, with a national average increase of 38.2 cents.
On May 5, Wisconsin’s average gas price was $4.40 per gallon. The highest recorded average was $4.93 in June 2022. De Haan noted on social media that Wisconsin set a new diesel record at $5.67 per gallon, while Michigan hit $6.01.
Gas prices have risen due to the Iran war, but issues at a BP refinery in Whiting, Indiana, affected Great Lakes states, involving a power outage and labor dispute.
“Refinery outages were key to the increases, but early signs of improvement could ease extreme price pressures in the Great Lakes,” De Haan wrote in the post.
Campaigning for the 2024 election, President Donald Trump promised to halve energy bills in half. In Wisconsin, GOP Rep. Tom Tiffany, running for governor, noted on social media how low gas prices were. The post shows Tiffany at a gas station in Glidden, saying: “Gas under $2.50 a gallon in Glidden, WI this weekend. Even CNN reports that 2026 is on track to be the cheapest year for gas since 2020. Promises made, promises kept.”
“Tiffany offers Wisconsinites broken promises and strained bank accounts,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin spokesperson Emily Stuckey said in a release in March.
De Haan indicated in the GasBuddy blog and on social media that early relief signs for the Great Lakes were emerging with refinery problems subsiding, but the future remains unpredictable.
“With many moving pieces, the outlook is fluid. While localized relief may occur, broader price volatility is likely near-term,” De Haan noted.
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