经济学人274:法国想出口核反应堆,谁人将买?

 　　French nuclear energy

　　法国核能

　　Under pressure

　　压力之下

　　France wants to export nuclear reactors². Who will buy them?

　　法国想出口核反应堆，谁人将买？

　　FOR France, nuclear power has long been a source of national pride. Its European Pressurised Reactor¹ (EPR) is the world’s most advanced nuclear reactor and some consider it the safest. But since the nuclear accident at Fukushima in Japan, potential buyers have been having second thoughts (although the plant in question was not French.)

　　核能已经让法国引以为豪多年。法国第三代反应堆（ＥＰＲ）被认为是目前世界上最先进核反应堆，有些人认为也是最安全的。但自日本福岛核电站事故发生后，潜在的买家已经开始重新考虑这一想法了（尽管出问题的不是法国核电站）。

　　On December 12th Areva, France’s state-owned nuclear champion, said it would take a €2.4 billion ($3.1 billion) charge against profits. This will give the firm its first ever operating loss, of perhaps €1.6 billion for 2011. That hurts.

　　12月12号，阿海珐——这家法国国有一流核能企业，冲抵受益为€24 亿欧元（31亿美元）。这会将是该公司有史以来第一笔运营亏损，２０１１亏损额大约为１６亿欧元。这可伤大了。

　　Areva is the world’s only one-stop nuclear shop, selling everything from uranium to fuel recycling. Much of the charge came from a slump³ in the value of UraMin, a uranium-mining firm bought for a giddy price in 2007, when nuclear power was surging. The price of uranium, which fuels reactors, tumbled afterwards (see chart).

　　阿海珐是目前世界上唯一的一站式核反应车间，销售范围包括从铀矿石到能源回收。多数亏损是由于UraMin身价猛跌导致的，UraMin是2007年，当这家核能企业业务扩张时，斥巨资收购的铀矿石生产公司，铀核反应堆的燃料价格随即受到重创（见图表）。

　　Before Fukushima, Areva’s managers went on a hiring binge, expecting rapid growth in sales to rich and emerging markets alike. Now the firm will cut costs and investment, fire workers and sell assets.

　　在福岛核电站之前，阿海珐的经理们进行了大规模的招聘，期望其业务能同时在发达国家市场和新兴市场上都迅速增长。而现在，在这家公司将要削减成本和投资，裁员以及出售资产了。

　　In Europe, Areva’s most profitable market, people are newly nervous about nuclear power. Germany, Switzerland and Belgium have all opted⁴ to abandon it. Lower natural-gas prices have made it less competitive. And serious carbon curbs⁵, which would boost a business that emits virtually no carbon dioxide, are nowhere in sight.

　　在欧洲，这块阿海珐利润最高的市场上，人们最近开始对核能不放心了。德国，瑞士和比利时皆已抛弃了核能。更低的天然气价格已经让核能失去了以往的竞争力。加上现在还没有出台的碳排放惩罚，这可能会催生零排放的新生意。

1 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

2 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

3 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

4 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。

5 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句