Fuel shortages to ease as pipeline restarts: Biden
President Joe Biden said on Thursday that Colonial Pipeline should be reaching full operational capacity right now and he expects to see fuel normalcy this weekend, after an attack on the company triggered fuel shortages and panic buying in the southeastern United States.
Colonial Pipeline began to slowly restart the nation’s largest fuel pipeline network on Wednesday after a ransomware attack shut the line.
“This morning Colonial reported that fuel is beginning to flow to (a) majority of the markets that they service and they should be reaching full operational capacity as we speak,” Biden said, adding the impact will not be felt immediately at fuel stations and that it will take time for normalcy to return.
The administration has taken steps such as sending fuel to gas stations that will help fill the tanks of 5 million vehicles, the president said. On Wednesday, Biden also waived the Jones Act to accelerate fuel deliveries and said the administration will grant additional waivers if necessary.