Nutrien Shuts Trinidad Nitrogen Operations Indefinitely
Nutrien Ltd has announced an indefinite shutdown of its nitrogen operations at Point Lisas in Trinidad due to ongoing natural gas supply constraints and uncertainty. The decision follows similar moves by other major tenants at the Point Lisas Industrial Estate, including Proman Trinidad and Methanex Corporation, which have also scaled back operations due to gas supply issues.
Nutrien stated that the shutdown was necessary to enhance free cash flow and return on invested capital, despite having begun a controlled shutdown of the facility in October 2025. The company assured that the decision would not impact its 2026 nitrogen sales-volume guidance, as projections already accounted for no production from the Trinidad operations.
Energy Minister Dr. Roodal Moonilal called the shutdown 'unfortunate' and disputed Nutrien's explanation, suggesting the decision was driven by profit motives rather than gas constraints. He emphasized that the government, through the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC), had been in discussions with Nutrien to resolve the issues and would continue efforts to restart the facility.
Former energy minister Stuart Young criticized the current government's handling of the energy sector, describing the shutdown as a confirmation of incompetence. He accused the government of failing to negotiate solutions and warned of further industrial setbacks. Young also claimed that no new gas projects could be attributed to the current administration.