The average U.S. retail price of diesel fuel has increased to $1.628 from the previous high of $1.619, the Department of Energy reported.

The highest prices were in California, at $1.927; New England, at $1.762; the Central Atlantic region, at $1.740; and on the West Coast, where the average price is $1.845.

The dollar-fifty to dollar-sixty range greeted the Lower Atlantic region, where the average price is $1.584; the Midwest, at $1.588; the Gulf Coast, at $1.566; the East Coast, at $1.639; and the Rocky Mountain region, where the price is $1.623.

Oil prices have risen 11 percent this year, partly because the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries decided last month to cut quotas by 1 million barrels a day starting April 1. OPEC wants to avoid a drop in prices in the second quarter when demand usually falls as the northern hemisphere winter ends.

The 11-member group has no plans to reverse its cut even though prices are rising, OPEC President Purnomo Yusgiantoro said March 8, as reported by Bloomberg News. OPEC believes prices are rising because of speculative rather than fundamental reasons, such as shortages of supply.

Meanwhile, political problems in Venezuela add to price instability.

Thousands of people marched through the capital Caracas to protest President Hugo Chavez, after more than a week of fighting in which at least 10 people were killed. Venezuela was the second-biggest foreign supplier of gasoline to the United States in December.

Analysts report that as long as Venezuelan unrest continues, fuel prices also will continue to rise. That’s because hostilities are seen as hampering U.S. refiners' abilities to rebuild gasoline reserves.