Jan 26 (Reuters) - Freeport LNG, the second-biggest U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, got approval from federal regulators on Thursday to take early steps to restart its fire-idled LNG export plant in Texas.

Freeport, however, has not yet sought permission to restart the liquefaction trains that turn natural gas into LNG. That step to resume LNG production will have to come in a later request with federal regulators.

The closely held LNG company's plant was knocked offline in a pipeline explosion on June 8, 2022 and barred from resuming production until federal regulators completed an extensive safety review and approved resulting changes.

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), one of the regulators that must approve Freeport's restart, said in a filing that it granted the company's request to "commence commissioning, including cool down, of Loop 1 LNG transfer piping and commissioning and reinstate service of the boil off gas (BOG) management system."

FERC, however, said "additional authorization to restart operations is necessary to reinstate service ... of the liquefaction trains," which turn natural gas into LNG for export.

Before the FERC decision, U.S. gas futures were down as much as 9% to a 21-month low of $2.76 per million British thermal units. After the news, futures pared losses to trade down about 7%. (Reporting by Scott DiSavino Editing by Bernadette Baum)