经济学人:燃气价格 能源产业之争

 　　Gas prices

　　燃气价格

　　Fuel on the fire

　　能源产业之争

　　Another cheap shot at energy firms misses the mark

　　又一次对能源企业的失败“算计”

　　GIVEN the parlous¹ state of Britain's energy system, it is hard to think that Ed Davey, the energy secretary, would want more publicity². Yet on February 10th newspapers published a letter he had written to regulators who are reviewing the market. He urged them to investigate whether energy companies are making excessive profits from selling gas, which he said earns higher margins⁴ than flogging electricity. He singled out British Gas, which in 2012 supplied gas to about 40% of Britain's households at a profit margin³ of more than 11%.

　　难以想象，在英国能源系统受到威胁的情况下，能源大臣艾德·戴维还想要更多的公众影响力。然而2月10日的报纸刊登了他写给市场监察机构的一封信。他敦促他们去调查能源企业是否通过售卖天然气攫取暴利，按他所说，这比出售电力能获得更多利润。他单独指出了“英国燃气”，该公司在2012年为大约40%的英国家庭提供燃气，并且获得了超过11%的利润率。

　　燃气价格.jpg

　　Energy buffs have long moaned about the strong position British Gas—owned by Centrica, a big energy firm—enjoys in the domestic gas market. It inherited a huge number of customers from its days as a state monopoly, some of whom could be paying over the odds⁵ because they have never looked for a better deal. But by focusing narrowly on gas, Mr Davey overstates Centrica's success. In 2012 the firm lost money selling electricity, bringing the margin across its domestic supply business down to 6.6%.

　　热衷能源业的人早就抱怨英国天然气公司的强势地位—森特理克麾下的大能源企业，占领了国内天然气市场。该公司从作为国家垄断企业时便继承了一批庞大的客户数量，其中一些客户甚至能出高价支付而从来不寻找更实惠交易。但仅将目光锁定在天然气市场方面，戴维先生夸大了森特理克的功绩。2012年，该企业赔了钱售卖电力，使其国内供应业务的毛利率降低到6.6%。

　　This figure is high; but it is not extraordinary, or certain to be sustained. Nor do Centrica's competitors seem to be banking⁶ exuberant⁷ rents. The “Big Six” retailers⁸ earned an average margin on domestic energy sales of 4.3% in 2012. Three of them did better supplying electricity than gas. British households continue to pay less for energy than many Europeans.

　　该数据是惊人的，但情况并非特殊也不一定会持续。且森特理克的竞争对手们似乎也没受益多少。六大零售商在2012年获得了4.3%的国内能源销售的平均利润率。其中三家零售商的电力销售额都优于天然气。英国家庭仍然在能源支付上少与许多欧洲人。

　　The simplest way to erode¹⁰ Centrica's grip on the gas market is to encourage long-standing customers to move elsewhere. The number of households switching supplier has fallen sharply since 2008, in part because regulators have curbed¹¹ doorstep selling. The government enthuses about community switching schemes, in which neighbours find new suppliers together; Ofgem, the regulator, now requires energy firms to contact customers who are paying more than they should.

　　打破森特理克集团对天然气市场控制的最简单方式是鼓励老客户转移他处。变更供应商的家庭数量自2008年大幅下滑，部分原因是监管机构遏制了上门销售。政府热衷于新的社区转换方案，该方案倡导住户们一起寻找新的供应商；监管者Ofgem如今要求能源企业去联系那些“冤大头”客户。

　　It will be some time before that has an effect. Yet what most vexes¹² critics of the market is not hefty retail⁹ margins but fear that energy firms are making outsized profits elsewhere, for example in power generation. This is difficult to prove, which is why the government last year asked regulators to carry out a broad assessment¹³ of the market. Their report, due next month, could lead to a more thorough investigation¹⁴ by the Competition Commission.

　　市场调控取得成效将需要一段时间。然而最引发市场批评的并非丰厚的零售利润，而是对能源企业在别处—例如在发电领域攫取过多利润的担心。难以证明为什么政府去年要求监管机构开展对市场的广泛评估。他们下月的评估报告可能会导致竞争委员会组织一个更彻底的调查。

　　That is starting to look like an attractive outcome to some energy executives, who have repeatedly been battered¹⁵ by politicians. Shares in Centrica dipped 3.5% following publication of Mr Davey's letter; they are a quarter lower than in September, when Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour Party, promised to freeze energy bills if elected. The regulators' report, and any inquiry¹⁶ that follows, may give Mr Davey reason to set the market ablaze¹⁷. Until then he should resist poking¹⁸ the coals.

　　对于一些不断被政客抨击的能源部行政人员来说，这似乎开始看上去是一个很有吸引力的结果。戴维的信被公开之后森特里克的股价下跌了3.5%；相比9月下降了四分之一，当时工党领袖——艾德·米利班德承诺一旦当选将冻结能源账单。监管机构报告及之后的任意询问，也许会给戴维先生刺激市场的理由。但在那之前，他须抵制垄断煤炭。

　　1.look for 寻找

　　例句:Second, look for work you believe is worthwhile.

　　其次，寻找你认为值得做的工作。

　　2.seem to 似乎

　　例句:Marks in the roadway seem to indicate that he skidded¹⁹ taking a sharp turn.

　　从车道上的痕迹来看，他似乎在急转弯时打滑了。

　　3.continue to 继续

　　例句:We'll continue to fight for a decent standard of living for our members.

　　我们会继续努力，争取使我们的成员过上体面的生活。

　　4.carry out 进行;执行

　　例句:They also carry out experiments.

　　他们还进行实验。

1 parlous   

adj.危险的，不确定的，难对付的

参考例句：

• They had a parlous journey on stormy seas.他们在风暴海洋上进行了一次危险的旅行。
• English tennis is in a parlous condition.英国网球运动不堪设想。

2 publicity   

n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告

参考例句：

• The singer star's marriage got a lot of publicity.这位歌星的婚事引起了公众的关注。
• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。

3 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

4 margins   

边( margin的名词复数 )； 利润； 页边空白； 差数

参考例句：

• They have always had to make do with relatively small profit margins. 他们不得不经常设法应付较少的利润额。
• To create more space between the navigation items, add left and right margins to the links. 在每个项目间留更多的空隙，加左或者右的margins来定义链接。

5 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

6 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

7 exuberant   

adj.充满活力的；（植物）繁茂的

参考例句：

• Hothouse plants do not possess exuberant vitality.在温室里培养出来的东西，不会有强大的生命力。
• All those mother trees in the garden are exuberant.果园里的那些母树都长得十分茂盛。

8 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

9 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

10 erode   

v.侵蚀，腐蚀，使...减少、减弱或消失

参考例句：

• Once exposed,soil is quickly eroded by wind and rain.一旦暴露在外，土壤很快就会被风雨侵蚀。
• Competition in the financial marketplace has eroded profits.金融市场的竞争降低了利润。

11 curbed   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Advertising aimed at children should be curbed. 针对儿童的广告应受到限制。 来自辞典例句
• Inflation needs to be curbed in Russia. 俄罗斯需要抑制通货膨胀。 来自辞典例句

12 vexes   

v.使烦恼( vex的第三人称单数 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论

参考例句：

• Her continuous chatter vexes me. 她的喋喋不休使我烦透了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• His continuous chatter vexes me. 他唠叨不休，真烦死我了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

13 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

14 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

15 battered   

adj.磨损的；v.连续猛击；磨损

参考例句：

• He drove up in a battered old car.他开着一辆又老又破的旧车。
• The world was brutally battered but it survived.这个世界遭受了惨重的创伤,但它还是生存下来了。

16 inquiry   

n.打听，询问，调查，查问

参考例句：

• Many parents have been pressing for an inquiry into the problem.许多家长迫切要求调查这个问题。
• The field of inquiry has narrowed down to five persons.调查的范围已经缩小到只剩5个人了。

17 ablaze   

adj.着火的，燃烧的；闪耀的，灯火辉煌的

参考例句：

• The main street was ablaze with lights in the evening.晚上，那条主要街道灯火辉煌。
• Forests are sometimes set ablaze by lightning.森林有时因雷击而起火。

18 poking   

n. 刺，戳，袋 vt. 拨开，刺，戳 vi. 戳，刺，捅，搜索，伸出，行动散慢

参考例句：

• He was poking at the rubbish with his stick. 他正用手杖拨动垃圾。
• He spent his weekends poking around dusty old bookshops. 他周末都泡在布满尘埃的旧书店里。

19 skidded   

v.（通常指车辆） 侧滑( skid的过去式和过去分词 )；打滑；滑行；（住在）贫民区

参考例句：

• The car skidded and hit a lamp post. 那辆汽车打滑撞上了路灯杆。
• The car skidded and overturned. 汽车打滑翻倒了。