Top US LNG exporter cuts gas use to help frozen power grid

Cheniere Energy Inc., the largest U.S. exporter of liquefied natural gas, said it’s temporarily cutting gas and electricity consumption to help the Texas power grid.

The voluntary move has made billions of cubic feet of gas to flow to utility companies, pipelines and power providers, the company said in an emailed statement Wednesday.

Cheniere’s decision was made ahead of Texas Governor Greg Abbott issuing an order that bars gas from leaving the state through Feb. 21., according to company spokesman Eben Burnham-Snyder.

Ranked as the biggest buyer of natural gas in the U.S., Cheniere obtains its supplies from more than 100 producers and across 25 pipelines to feed its Sabine Pass LNG export terminal in Louisiana and Corpus Christi LNG in Texas.

Tanker traffic has been limited at LNG export terminals along the Gulf Coast since Sunday, when Arctic weather hit Texas, knocking out power for millions and closing down ship channels.

Cheniere said company officials met to discuss Abbott’s order late Wednesday afternoon but declined to comment further