Gas Stations Running Low And Raising Prices After Colonial Pipeline Hack

S#!t is about to get real!

Source: Bloomberg / Getty

Perhaps this piece of news slid under your radar or your social media timeline but Russian hackers from an outfit called DarkSide tapped into the Colonial Pipeline that could spell disaster for your wallet and your time management skills. The Colonial Pipeline delivers 45% of the east coast’s fuel according to DailyMail and due to the hack had to be shut down for five days to get things back in order. Those services are gradually returning but at a snail’s pace.

That delay is currently causing long lines and price increases in places like Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee

Colonial is based here in Atlanta, Georgia, and they have not yet said whether or not they paid the hackers ransom or if they are negotiating some sort of “settlement.” They might wanna say something because AAA has already confirmed to WSB-TV that prices have already gone up 6 cents this week and could go up more if service isn’t restored soon.

“This shutdown will have implications on both gasoline supply and price, but the impact will vary regionally,” Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman for AAA-The Auto Club Group said. “Areas including Mississippi, Tennessee and the East Coast from Georgia into Delaware are most likely to experience limited fuel availability and prices increases as early as this week.”

If you live on the east coast, specifically the southeast, you might want to go fill up your tank right now to avoid long(er) lines and ridiculous price hikes like the ones energy executive Chris Edmonds is warning people about.

“It would not surprise me at all if this lingers through this week to see gasoline 20 to 30% higher over the next 5 to 6 days,” Edmonds said.

You have been warned.