System growth for Lima gas distributor slows as coverage matures

A decrease in new connections and network expansion for natural gas distributor Cálidda, which serves Lima and Callao, is due to the company's high penetration level in line with its five-year plans.

"Cálidda will continue to grow, increasing and expanding its presence within Lima and Callao. However, this growth is becoming increasingly smaller because we have already utilized a large part of our total potential," finance director Mario Caballero said during the concessionaire's first-quarter results presentation.

At end-March, penetration stood at 82%, and Grupo Energía Bogotá-controlled Cálidda's connections reached nearly 2.08mn and its network totaled 19,172km.

The number of Cálidda's connections and network additions in the quarter slid 21% and 38%, respectively, year-on-year to 25,624 and 135km.

This year, the distributor expects to reach 2.18mn-2.19mn connections and add 300-400km of network. At end-March, its connections reached 2.11mn and its network totaled 19,172km.

Of the 2.11mn clients, nearly all were in the residential and commercial segment (2,107,235), followed by industrial customers (1,002), natural gas vehicle (NGV) stations (295) and power generators (40).

Cálidda's 1Q26 sales slid 1.7% year-on-year to 789Mf³/d, with electricity generators accounting for 70% of demand, followed by industrial offtake (16%), NGV (9%) and residential and commercial clients (4.7%).

The sales dip stems from the rupture of Transportadora de Gas del Perú's pipeline, which transports Camisea gas.

BNamericas recently reported that energy and mining investment regulator Osinergmin greenlighted Cálidda's 2026-30 tariffs.

Read Peru approves US$88mn Lima gas plan.

(The original version of this content was written in English)