UPDATE 2-Peru suspends gas exports after pipeline rupture sparks energy crisis

Peru suspended natural ‌gas exports as ​it grapples with its worst energy crisis in two decades following a pipeline ‌rupture at the country's largest gas field, Energy and Mines Minister Angelo Alfaro said on Thursday. The halt follows a leak reported Sunday, ‌which forced operator Transportadora de Gas del Peru (TGP) to shut down ‌a section of the pipeline to isolate the damage.

Alfaro, speaking to Congress, said this was the most serious energy crisis in the last two decades. "The ⁠reduction ​in the (gas) ⁠supply has been tremendous, brutal... only 10% is being delivered," he added.

The Ministry ⁠of Energy and Mines had declared a 14-day emergency for the national ​pipeline network to prioritize supplies for residential, commercial, and essential ⁠services while repairs are underway. TGP also had implemented temporary restrictions on gas supplies ⁠to ​industrial and electricity sector users while it repairs the leak.

Energy firm Pluspetrol suspended production of liquefied petroleum gas on Wednesday ⁠after the outage cut the flow of natural gas to its Pisco ⁠fractionation plant. The ⁠facility supplies approximately 70% of Peru's LPG consumption, according to company data.