WASHINGTON – The Colonial Pipeline is back online after being shut down for six days following a cyberattack by a Russian hacking group.
Friday, a ransomware attack paralyzed the critical artery which supplies nearly half of the east coast’s fuel.
The company halted operations because its billing system was compromised, and they were concerned they wouldn’t be able to determine how much to bill customers for fuel they received.
That shutdown triggered panic-buying and hoarding at gas stations across the southeast.
Leaving a significant percentage of gas stations in Virginia, Georgia, and the Carolinas without fuel.
That demand sent gas prices soaring, with AAA reporting the national average for a gallon of gas was $3 dollars, the highest since 2014.
Experts say the restart should begin to help ease the shortages. But the pipeline’s operators warn it may take several days for supply, service and delivery to return to normal.
Meanwhile, gas stations up and down the east coast eagerly await to receive gasoline to serve their customers.
Leave a Reply