71 percent of gas stations in Charlotte area out of fuel

Seventy-one percent of gas stations in the Charlotte, N.C., area are experiencing shortages of fuel after a cyberattack on a major pipeline last week, the Charlotte Observer reported.

Charlotte is one of several cities in North Carolina that are experiencing gas shortages, according to GasBuddy, which tracks gas prices across the country.

North Carolina update:
78% of Greenville/Spartanburg/Asheville/Anderson stns no gasoline
72% of Raleigh/Durham stns no gasoline
71% of Charlotte stns no gasoline
69% of Greenville/New Bern/Washington stns no gasoline
65% of Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport stns no gasoline

— Patrick De Haan ⛽️ (@GasBuddyGuy) May 12, 2021

Fears of a shortage appear to be leading more people to buy gas, exacerbating the problem, according to some anecdotal reports.

There has been a traffic jam around every gas station I’ve passed in Charlotte this morning.

Nothing like “supply will be fine unless people start panic buying” to get people panic buying. https://t.co/vrnLPSTpNq

— Marc Lancaster (@MarcLancaster) May 11, 2021

Local school districts in the metro area are also watching the current situation closely. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spokesman Brian Hacker told the Observer that they are in contact with their suppliers daily and are continuing to get fuel.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) issued a state of emergency on Monday, saying doing so would prepare the state for fuel supply interruptions and ensure motorists are able to have access to fuel. 

Cooper also talked with Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and other federal officials on Tuesday about the situation, saying in a tweet, “We have a full court press to get the Colonial Pipeline back up and fully operating quickly.”

I have talked today with federal officials including Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and we have a full court press to get the Colonial Pipeline back up and fully operating quickly. Report price gouging and please don’t rush to top off your tanks. – RC

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 11, 2021

Colonial Pipeline experienced a cyberattack on its energy infrastructure on Friday, forcing it to shut down 5,500 miles of pipeline to contain the breach. A number of states in the Southeast are experiencing gas shortages.