字神帝國英語天地

今日主題：Gas prices--Fuel on the fire
燃氣價格--能源產業之爭

康康精選GRE&GMAT會考的主題，堅持每天精讀一定會進步的哦!

MP3音檔 (按右鍵可下載聽)：喜歡的同學，幫忙推或按讚哦~~
http://xia2.kekenet.com/Sound/2015/…/ecob1023_12199899tx.mp3　

只有音檔怎夠，聽不懂地方，不用怕，康康幫你準備好中英文稿了：

中英文稿：
Gas prices--Fuel on the fire
燃氣價格--能源產業之爭

Another cheap shot at energy firms misses the mark
又一次對能源企業的失敗“算計”

GIVEN the parlous state of Britain's energy system, it is hard to think that Ed Davey, the energy secretary, would want more publicity. 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 margins than flogging electricity. He singled out British Gas, which in 2012 supplied gas to about 40% of Britain's households at a profit margin of more than 11%.
難以想像，在英國能源系統受到威脅的情況下，能源大臣艾德•大衛還想要更多的公眾影響力。然而2月10日的報紙刊登了他寫給市場監察機構的一封信。他敦促 他們去調查能源企業是否通過售賣天然氣攫取暴利，按他所說，這比出售電力能獲得更多利潤。他單獨指出了“英國燃氣”，該公司在2012年為大約40%的英 國家庭提供燃氣，並且獲得了超過11%的利潤率。

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 odds 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%.
熱衷能源業的人早就抱怨英國天然氣公司的強勢地位—森特理克麾下的大能源企業，佔領了國內天然氣市場。該公司從作為國家壟斷企業時便繼承了一批龐大的客戶 數量，其中一些客戶甚至能出高價支付而從來不尋找更實惠交易。但僅將目光鎖定在天然氣市場方面，大衛先生誇大了森特理克的功績。2012年，該企業賠了錢 售賣電力，使其國內供應業務的毛利率降低到6.6%。

This figure is high; but it is not extraordinary, or certain to be sustained. Nor do Centrica's competitors seem to be banking exuberant rents. The “Big Six” retailers 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.
該資料是驚人的，但情況並非特殊也不一定會持續。且森特理克的競爭對手們似乎也沒受益多少。六大零售商在2012年獲得了4.3%的國內能源銷售的平均利潤率。其中三家零售商的電力銷售額都優於天然氣。英國家庭仍然在能源支付上少與許多歐洲人。

The simplest way to erode 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 curbed 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.
打破森特理克集團對天然氣市場控制的最簡單方式是鼓勵老客戶轉移他處。變更供應商的家庭數量自2008年大幅下滑，部分原因是監管機構遏制了上門銷售。政 府熱衷於新的社區轉換方案，該方案宣導住戶們一起尋找新的供應商；監管者Ofgem如今要求能源企業去聯繫那些“冤大頭”客戶。

It will be some time before that has an effect. Yet what most vexes critics of the market is not hefty retail 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 assessment of the market. Their report, due next month, could lead to a more thorough investigation by the Competition Commission.
市場調控取得成效將需要一段時間。然而最引發市場批評的並非豐厚的零售利潤，而是對能源企業在別處—例如在發電領域攫取過多利潤的擔心。難以證明為什麼政府去年要求監管機構開展對市場的廣泛評估。他們下月的評估報告可能會導致競爭委員會組織一個更徹底的調查。

That is starting to look like an attractive outcome to some energy executives, who have repeatedly been battered 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 inquiry that follows, may give Mr Davey reason to set the market ablaze. Until then he should resist poking the coals.
對於一些不斷被政客抨擊的能源部行政人員來說，這似乎開始看上去是一個很有吸引力的結果。大衛的信被公開之後森特裡克的股價下跌了3.5%；相比9月下降 了四分之一，當時工党領袖——艾德•米利班德承諾一旦當選將凍結能源帳單。監管機構報告及之後的任意詢問，也許會給大衛先生刺激市場的理由。但在那之前， 他須抵制壟斷煤炭。