On January 2nd, 2021, Colombia cut off natural gas supply to over six million Colombian households. This was due to a lack of natural gas caused by a major pipeline rupture in the Arauca department of Colombia. The rupture cut off the supply of natural gas for over 73 municipalities in Colombia. It also caused major shortages in the supply of natural gas to Venezuela.
Colombia’s state-run energy company Ecopetrol has warned that restoring the supply of natural gas will take at least two weeks. In the meantime, the company has brought in 3,000 cylinders of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) to be used as a substitute for the natural gas.
The Colombian government has also urged citizens to conserve energy, and public institutions and companies have been asked to voluntarily reduce their energy consumption. The government has also promised assistance to low-income families affected by the shortages.