Gas stations in Covington and Newton County have been impacted by the current gas shortage affecting the east coast of the United States.
According to the Associated Press, a pipeline ruptured last week in Alabama, causing 252,000 gallons (953,896 liters) of gas to leak. This has resulted in shortages in Georgia and other areas across the Southeast.
In Covington, several stations have increased their prices. Several readers posted on The Covington News’ Facebook page confirming price surges. One user, Crissy Alter, stated that gas prices at the Kroger on Hwy. 278 went from $2.80 to $3.59 overnight. As of Sunday evening, the Kroger gas station was out of fuel. According to GasBuddy, the current highest reported price for regular gas in Covington is $2.79 per gallon at the Exxon on 278. The lowest price, as of this morning, was for $1.99 at a Pure gas station on Washington Street.
Some stations have had to implement limits on how much customers can purchase at one time. The Chevron gas station on Alcovy Road, which currently offers unleaded gas for $2.59 per gallon, has limited its customers to $15 purchases in order to remain “fair.”
Other stations are currently out of gas altogether, such as the QuikTrip on Hwy. 278, as well as the QuikTrip and Shell on Hwy. 142. Workers at the CitGo on Hwy. 278 say they have been out of gas for one day now and were expecting delivery on Monday, but it never came.
According to the AP, Colonial Pipeline said supplies of gasoline have either been delivered or are on their way to terminal locations in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, and North Carolina.
