Local Petro-Canada gas stations without fuel are expecting to see supplies replenished soon.
The shortage has seen prices at other gas stations in Red Deer creeping upward the past week.
The Petro-Canada station in Gasoline Alley has been without fuel since June 5 and the station at 3330 Gaetz Ave. has been dry since about Wednesday. The pumps have been closed and surrounded by tape.
An employee at the Gasoline Alley station said he was expecting fuel to be delivered any time after Sunday. He said it’s been “very tough” on business.
The shortage of fuel is being blamed on the Fort McMurray wildfire and a refinery stoppage, Suncor Energy, which owns Petro-Canada, said in a press release.
“Due to the cumulative impact of the fires on refinery feedstock and a short unplanned outage at one unit of Suncor’s Edmonton refinery, gasoline and diesel production has been reduced. The unit is expected to be back in service by the end of the week and Suncor is currently working to minimize the supply disruptions to its retail and wholesale customers,” Suncor said a week ago.
Gasoline prices in Red Deer have been headed upwards during the shortage, and on Saturday were around 103.9 cents per litre, although some were as high as 113.9.