State Launches Investigation into High Gas Prices

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State legislators suspect that oil companies are doing to California this spring what the power companies did four years ago, gaming the system by creating shortages in order to drive prices sky high. Democratic State Senator Joe Dunn of Santa Ana says he thinks he can prove it. The statewide average price of self-serve regular has jumped 4.6 cents in the last week, to a record $2.27 a gallon. One gas station in the Bay Area has a sign saying $3.33--plus one arm-plus one leg. Warren Olney speaks with Dunn, a spokeswoman for the petroleum industry, and the head of a group that claims to watch out for consumers.
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California Energy Commission

Shell's announcement about closing Bakersfield refinery

Senator Barbara Boxer on gas prices

Enron

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney

Producer:

Frances Anderton