2021年经济学人 黑暗冬季惨剧--“美国能源之都”瘫痪(4)

Wholly redesigning the power grid¹ in Texas seems unlikely. After the snow melts, the state will need to tackle two more straightforward² questions. The first is whether it needs to increase reserve capacity. “If we impose a capacity market here and a bunch of new cap-ex is required to winterise equipment, who bears that cost? Ultimately it’s the customer,” says Bobby Tudor, chairman of TPH. The second is how Texas can ensure the reliability³ of equipment in extreme weather conditions. After a polar vortex in 2014 hit the east coast, PJM, a regional transmission organisation⁴, started making higher payments based on reliability of service, says Michael Weinstein of Credit Suisse, a bank. In Texas there is no penalty for systems going down, except for public complaints and politicians’ finger-pointing.

得州电网似乎不太可能进行完全的重新设计。雪融化后，州政府需要解决两个更直接的问题。首先是是否需要增加储备电量。TPH公司董事长鲍比·都铎表示，“如果我们要在得州建立电力容量市场，就需要一批新的资本性支出用于过冬设备，那谁来承担这个成本？最终还是用户。”第二个问题是，得州如何确保极端天气条件下的设备可靠性。瑞士信贷银行的迈克尔·温斯坦表示，2014年，东海岸遭遇极地漩涡袭击后，地区输电组织PJM开始为追求服务的可靠性而支付更高额的费用。此次得州电力系统的崩溃只遭到了公众的抱怨和政客的指责，却没有受到惩罚。

Texas is hardly the only state to struggle with blackouts. Parts of California, which has a more tightly regulated power market, are regularly plunged⁵ into darkness during periods of high heat, winds and wildfires. Unlike Texas, much of northern California is dependent on a single utility, PG&E. The company has been repeatedly sued for dismal⁶, dangerous management. But, as in Texas, critics have blamed intermittent⁷ renewable power for blackouts. In truth, California’s blackouts share many of the same causes as those in Texas: extreme weather, power generators⁸ that fail unexpectedly, poor planning by state regulators and an inability (in California, temporary) to import power from elsewhere. In California’s blackouts last year, solar output naturally declined in the evening. But gas plants also went offline and weak rainfall lowered the output of hydroelectric dams.

得州并不是唯一一个与停电作斗争的州。加州部分地区的电力市场监管更为严格，在高温、大风和野火期间，这些地区经常陷入黑暗之中。与得州不同的是，北加利福尼亚州的大部分地区只依赖于一个单一的公用事业公司——太平洋燃气电力公司(PG&E)。该公司曾多次因管理不善和危险管理而被起诉。但和得州情况一样的是，批评人士指责间歇性可再生能源是停电的罪魁祸首。事实上，加州的停电原因与得州的停电原因有许多相同点：极端天气、发电机意外故障、州监管机构规划不力以及（加州暂时）无法从其他地方输入电力。在加州去年的大停电中，夜晚的太阳能发电量自然下降。天然气发电厂也关闭了，弱降雨还降低了水电站的发电量。

In California, as in Texas, it would help to have additional power generation, energy storage to meet peak demand and more resilient infrastructure⁹, such as buried power lines and more long-distance, highvoltage transmission. Weather events that once might have been dismissed as unusual are becoming more common. Without more investment in electricity grids¹⁰, blackouts will be, too.

和得州的解决方式相同，在加州增加能够满足其高峰需求的备用发电和储能，以及建设适应能力更强的基础设施（如埋地输电线和更远距离的高压输电）将有所帮助。曾经因罕见而被疏忽的天气事件正变得越来越普遍。如果不对电网进行更多的投资，停电也将再次发生。

1 grid   

n.高压输电线路网；地图坐标方格；格栅

参考例句：

• In this application,the carrier is used to encapsulate the grid.在这种情况下，要用载体把格栅密封起来。
• Modern gauges consist of metal foil in the form of a grid.现代应变仪则由网格形式的金属片组成。

2 straightforward   

adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的

参考例句：

• A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
• I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。

3 reliability   

n.可靠性，确实性

参考例句：

• We mustn't presume too much upon the reliability of such sources.我们不应过分指望这类消息来源的可靠性。
• I can assure you of the reliability of the information.我向你保证这消息可靠。

4 organisation   

n.组织，安排，团体，有机休

参考例句：

• The method of his organisation work is worth commending.他的组织工作的方法值得称道。
• His application for membership of the organisation was rejected.他想要加入该组织的申请遭到了拒绝。

5 plunged   

v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降

参考例句：

• The train derailed and plunged into the river. 火车脱轨栽进了河里。
• She lost her balance and plunged 100 feet to her death. 她没有站稳，从100英尺的高处跌下摔死了。

6 dismal   

adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的

参考例句：

• That is a rather dismal melody.那是一支相当忧郁的歌曲。
• My prospects of returning to a suitable job are dismal.我重新找到一个合适的工作岗位的希望很渺茫。

7 intermittent   

adj.间歇的，断断续续的

参考例句：

• Did you hear the intermittent sound outside?你听见外面时断时续的声音了吗？
• In the daytime intermittent rains freshened all the earth.白天里，时断时续地下着雨，使整个大地都生气勃勃了。

8 generators   

n.发电机，发生器( generator的名词复数 )；电力公司

参考例句：

• The factory's emergency generators were used during the power cut. 工厂应急发电机在停电期间用上了。
• Power can be fed from wind generators into the electricity grid system. 电力可以从风力发电机流入输电网。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

10 grids   

n.格子( grid的名词复数 )；地图上的坐标方格；（输电线路、天然气管道等的）系统网络；（汽车比赛）赛车起跑线

参考例句：

• Typical framed structures are beams, grids, plane and space frames or trusses. 典型构架结构为梁、格栅、平面的和空间的框架或桁架。 来自辞典例句
• The machines deliver trimmed grids for use or stock. 这种机器铸出修整过的板栅，以供使用或储存。 来自辞典例句