Nova Scotia gas prices hit new record, up 8.7 cents after interrupter invoked

The Nova Scotia Utilities and Review Board has invoked the interrupter clause to raise gas prices overnight once again.

Pump prices are up 8.7 cents for gasoline with Nova Scotians now paying 175.3 cents per litre for self-serve regular minimum.

This comes just a day after gas prices rose by more than 10 cents per litre to a new record high on Friday.

Diesel was up 17.2 cents on Friday and rose by another 6.4 cents on Saturday to 190.1 cents per litre.

The NSUARB gave a heads up that pump prices would change overnight on Friday, but the amount was unknown.

“This change is necessary due to significant shifts in the market prices of gasoline and diesel oil,” it said.

Gas prices across the country are soaring as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine puts even greater pressure on an already-surging oil price environment.

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The high demand for oil combined with a shortage of supply has been pushing oil prices, and consequently gas prices, up for weeks.

The last time the NSUARB invoked the interrupter according to its schedule was Feb. 22 for diesel, when it went up by 6.5 cents, and Dec. 1 for gasoline when it went down by 7.5 cents.

According to the board, the last time the interrupter was invoked to raise the cost of gasoline was Sept. 2, 2017.

Pump prices for gas were 131.7 cents per litre at the end of August, 43.6 cents less than the current 175.3 minimum.

Prices are even higher elsewhere in the province. In Cape Breton, the self-serve regular minimum for gas has risen to 177.5 cents and the price of diesel is now 192.1 cents.

— with files from Alex Cooke

2:55Gas prices top $2.00 per litre in some parts of Metro Vancouver

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