In 2nd surprise price increase of the week, diesel, furnace and stove oil up again across N.L.

The costs of some fuels in Newfoundland and Labrador are on the rise again on Friday as the Public Utilities Board changed prices for the third time this week as the global oil market continues to fluctuate.

In a media release issued shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Friday — the PUB said a "technical issue" prevented the release not being sent Thursday night as intended — the board announced the prices of diesel, furnace oil and stove oil had increased. The price of regular gasoline did not go up. 

Diesel is up another 9.4 cents per litre, making the total increase roughly 24 cents for the week after increases on Wednesday and Thursday.

Diesel costs $2.31 a litre on the Avalon Peninsula, $2.34 in central Newfoundland, $2.32 in the Corner Brook and Deer Lake area and $2.33 on the Northern Peninsula. It's just under $2 for most of Labrador with the exception of the western region, where it's $2.38, and Churchill Falls, where it's $2.40.

Home heating oil is up another 11.51 cents per litre, about 25 cents on the week. The northeast Avalon is set at $1.65 per litre, central Newfoundland is $1.69, Corner Brook area is $1.66, Stephenville is $1.69 and the Northern Peninsula is $1.67.

Stove heating oil increased by another 8.15 cents per litre. 

The PUB said the next price change is scheduled for Thursday, but added it continues to monitor the daily benchmark prices for motor fuels and heating fuels using the "prescribed sources set out in the Petroleum Products Regulations" and will adjust maximum prices outside the scheduled adjustment if circumstances warrant.

The following chart shows how gas prices have changed recently at Newfoundland and Labrador retailers, as reported by users of the GasBuddy.com website.

Fuel increases continue to weigh heavily on the wallets for many people across the province. 

Morgan Budgell of Gander has been renting a property in the town since July with his girlfriend — the couple's first rental using oil heating.

"Oil heat is incredibly efficient, but the price is what surprised me definitely the most," Budgell said. 

"Before the spike it was somewhere around the $250 [a month] range and after the spike it's around $400. That works into around half a tank of oil."

Making up the extra cost on oil heating per month has to come out of the budget elsewhere, Budgell said. He said he's carrying a balance on his phone and internet bills, and deferring car payments.

Budgell said the future looks bleak and the couple has been trying to cut corners where they can. They have considered selling their vehicle and renting out their spare bedroom.