PITTSBURGH — After increasing by about eight cents last week, the average price of gasoline across Western Pennsylvania is nearly five cents more expensive this week at $2.641 per gallon, according to AAA East Central’s Gas Price Report.  

State averages in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states are mostly more expensive on the week, with pump prices ranging from as expensive as $2.61 in Pennsylvania to as cheap as $2.18 in Tennessee.  

For a second week, the region saw a substantial drop in inventories. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), regional inventory decreased by nearly 2 million barrels to 67.5 million, the lowest level since early January. In addition, refinery utilization dropped from 69.7 to 64 percent as refineries in Delaware, Philadelphia, and New Jersey went offline to undergo maintenance.

The average price of unleaded self-serve gasoline in Bradford was $2.755; in Brookville, $2.647; in DuBois, $2.673; in Erie, $2.657; and in Warren, $2.703.

Motorists can fill up for $2.50 or less at most gas stations throughout the country, despite more than 40 states seeing gas price averages increase on the week. At $2.39, the national gas price average is eight cents more expensive than last week and 12 cents more expensive than last month, yet remains 12 cents cheaper year-over-year.