《中英對照讀新聞》Russian electricity utility reform to be completed by end of 2008 俄電力事業改革預計2008年底前完成

◎羅彥傑

Industry Minister Viktor Khristenko said that the country's long-awaited electricity utility reform would be completed by the end of 2008, Russian news agencies reported.

產業部長維多．克里堅科說，期待以久的國家電力事業改革，將在2008年底前完成，據俄羅斯通訊社報導。

OAO United Energy Systems is an unwieldy giant with stakes in 72 regional power companies, 37 federal power plants and enough power lines to circle the Earth more than 60 times.

「OAO聯合電力公司」是一家大而無當的企業，旗下事業涵蓋72家區域性電力公司，37家聯邦發電廠以及足以繞行地球60多次的電纜線。

Reforming the debt-laden company _ which has chronic problems in collecting payment while its government-regulated tariff system charges far below European market rates _ long has been seen by investors as a litmus test of the government's commitment to economic reforms.

改革這間債台高築的公司—不僅存在長期的收費問題，而且政府管制的關稅費用也遠低於歐洲市場的水準—長久以來被許多投資人視為檢驗政府經改承諾的石芯試紙。

UES hopes to attract investment by creating about 10 wholesale power companies and a federal grid company, as well as breaking up the vertically integrated regional power companies. Shareholders are to receive stock in the new companies proportionate to their stakes in UES.

聯合電力公司希望透過成立約10家電力批發公司與一家聯邦輸電網路公司，以及打散已垂直整合的區域電力公司來吸引投資。股東將可按照其在聯合電力公司持有股份比例，領取新公司的股票。

新聞辭典

unwieldy：形容詞，龐大笨拙的。例句︰The armour worn by knights seems unwieldly to us today.（以今日的眼光看，騎士披的盔甲顯得笨重。）

litmus：名詞， 石芯， 引申為檢驗之意。例句︰The speech will be the litmus test of the president's political attitudes.（這篇演說將是檢驗總統政治態度的試金石。）

proportionate：形容詞，相稱的、按比例的。例句︰Wages will rise at a rate proportionate to expense.（工資將按照與開支相稱的比例增加。）