PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine officials say a gas station that was charging motorists up to 61 cents a gallon over the stated price represents an extreme case of pumps being out of whack, but they don’t suspect the station was overcharging on purpose.
While performing routine tests at a station in southern Maine last month, a Department of Agriculture inspector ordered six fuel nozzles at a 12-nozzle station shut down because the pumps were giving inaccurate readings.
In a weekly report to Gov. Paul LePage, Commissioner Walter Whitcomb said four of the inaccurate pumps resulted in consumers paying 51 to 61 cents a gallon too much — or up to $12.20 for a 20-gallon fill-up.
Two of the pumps were over-delivering gasoline, resulting in savings for consumers and a loss for the station.
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