VOA新闻杂志2022--德国将扩大对能源公司的贷款

Germany to Expand Loans to Energy Companies

Germany says it will expand state loans to help struggling energy companies. The loans are meant to help companies hurt by increasing gas prices linked to the war in Ukraine.

Russia sharply reduced gas exports to Europe after the West placed economic restrictions¹ on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. The action has led to increases in energy prices that threaten to put millions of Europeans into cold and poverty.

The assistance will come from a $67-billion fund that Germany established to help companies deal with the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. That information comes from the country's Handelsblatt newspaper. The fund is called the Economic Stabilization² Fund (ESF).

The loans will provide guarantees and liquidity³ assistance to energy companies hit by large reductions in gas imports from Russia, German finance ministry⁴ officials said. The ministry added that the assistance plan is right for the current situation because it is unclear how long the country's energy issues will last.

Germany's cabinet is expected to approve the plan on Wednesday. It will then be sent to parliament for approval.

Last week, one of Germany's biggest importers of Russian natural gas, VNG, became the latest energy company to ask the government for financial assistance to stay in business. VNG has been hit by a sharp drop in Russian gas exports to Europe. This has forced the company to raise its energy prices.

In July, another German energy company, Uniper, secured about $19 billion in government assistance to support its business.

The European Union agency in charge of securities is also considering EU-wide measures to help struggling energy companies meet rising demands ahead of winter.

Separate proposals from the European Commission (EC) to fight the crisis are set to be announced Wednesday. EU energy ministers will then consider the proposals at a meeting on September 30.

A version of the EC proposals, seen by Reuters news agency, would place a limit on the earnings⁵ non-gas fueled providers can make from selling electricity. The proposals would also require fossil fuel companies to share their profits to help provide assistance to the public and businesses facing high prices.

EU diplomats⁶ say there is wide support for an earnings limit for non-gas providers. But countries are split over other ideas, including a gas price limit on Russian natural gas. Such a limit was not included in the early EC proposals.

The energy crisis is already heavily affecting Europe's economy, even before the cold winter months arrive.

Words in This Story

fund – n. an amount of money saved, collected or provided for a particular purpose

liquidity – n. the fact of being available in the form of money, rather than investments or property

fossil fuels – n. fuels such as coal, oil, or natural gas that are formed in the Earth from dead plants or animals

1 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

2 Stabilization   

稳定化

参考例句：

• The position of barycentre on plane directly impacts the stabilization and manipulation of plane. 飞机重心位置直接影响飞机的稳定和操纵特性。
• With the higher olefins, stabilization of the energetic intermediates occurs more easily. 在较高的烯烃情况下，高能的中间物稳定作用更易出现。

3 liquidity   

n.流动性，偿债能力，流动资产

参考例句：

• The bank has progressively increased its liquidity.银行逐渐地增加其流动资产。
• The demand for and the supply of credit is closely linked to changes in liquidity.信用的供求和流动资金的变化有密切关系。

4 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

5 earnings   

n.工资收人；利润，利益，所得

参考例句：

• That old man lives on the earnings of his daughter.那个老人靠他女儿的收入维持生活。
• Last year there was a 20% decrease in his earnings.去年他的收入减少了20%。

6 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》