Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — As the price of oil continues to drop globally, so too is the retail price at the gas stations for gasoline and road diesel, as well as a decline in the cost of electricity through the decrease in the fuel surcharge rate imposed by the American Samoa Power Authority.

Data posted by the Office of Disaster Assistance and Petroleum Management (ODAPM) shows that the maximum allowable price (MAP) — or the wholesale price — of all fuel products sold in American Samoa has declined since March this year.

For the new MAP, effective June 15, gasoline dropped by nearly 28 cents per gallon, road diesel by nearly 18 cents and kerosene at 15 cents.  MAP for diesel fuel that powers the ASPA generators also dropped, according to ODAPM fuel data posted on its website.

While American Samoa has one of the lowest fees, taxes and rents in the U.S and the Pacific islands, it has the highest mark-up on local retail prices, said ODAPM’s Office of Petroleum Management.

It also says that the average current mark-up at the gas stations is 60 cents per gallon on gasoline and $1 per gallon on diesel.  MAP + Mark-Up = Retail.

Two gas stations visited by Samoa News earlier this week confirmed that their retail price continues to drop by “cents” in the last couple of months. “People are happy with the decrease in gas prices and there are more cars driving around on the road,” said one gas station attendant.

For electricity, ASPA recorded a decline in its fuel surcharge last month and again this month of June.  The fuel surcharge portion of the rate, changes with the increase or decrease in cost of diesel, said ASPA.

For June 2023 it’s $0.29141, compared to the September 2022 high of $0.43822.  And this is a 35% DROP in the "fuel surcharge" portion of the electric rate from September last year.

“The recent decrease in world diesel fuel prices has also meant a reduction in ASPA's electric rates,” said ASPA in a notice to its customers.

Furthermore, ASPA continues to explore renewable energy options for American Samoa with Wind Turbine technology as well as Solar Photovoltaic Panels (PV).