KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) — This morning Colonial Pipeline announced that the bypass segment is complete and they are currently conducting structural integrity tests. They anticipate a restart of Line 1 tomorrow, Wednesday, September 21.
AAA says once the line is restarted, it may take a few days for supply to return to normal in the southeast states hit hardest by the partial closure of the pipeline including Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia.
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“Motorists may continue to see spotty outages this week, but once regular fuel delivery resumes supplies should return to normal. AAA advises motorists to continue their normal driving and fueling routine,” said Stephanie Milani, Tennessee Public Affairs Director, AAA—The Auto Club Group. “We anticipate that pump prices will return to last week’s level fairly soon after fuel deliveries are back on schedule.”
Currently Tennessee’s gasoline average is $2.14, an increase of 15 cents from last week, according to AAA. Even with the delayed fuel supplies, the state’s average remains seven cents below the national average.
The state of emergency is still in effect to protect consumers from price gouging. It is important to note that pump prices could vary dramatically among retailers. On the wholesale level, some independent retailers may be forced to pay as much as 30-45 cents more than their branded counterparts. National, state and metro-averages are available from AAA at GasPrices.AAA.com.