ExxonMobil Refinery Shutdown Spikes Gas Prices in Midwest
ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. triggered gasoline price spikes across Michigan and Ohio after shutting down a key refinery unit in Joliet, Illinois.
Gasoline prices surged across the American Midwest on Thursday after ExxonMobil Holdings Corp. shut down a key unit at its refinery in Joliet, Illinois. The disruption caused immediate price spikes in Michigan, where costs rose to $4.74 per gallon from $4.59, and Ohio, where prices jumped to $4.34 per gallon from $4.05.
The price increases have since spread to Indiana, Wisconsin, and Illinois. These spikes occur 12 days before midterm elections, a period when the cost of living and pump prices are primary concerns for voters. The timing is particularly sensitive in Michigan and Ohio, both of which are hosting tight Senate races.
