(单词翻译:单击)
Germany, the EU’s biggest economy and one of the most reliant on Russia’s natural gas, has signed deals with several suppliers of LNG, which is shipped to neighboring European countries and then pumped in.
德国是欧盟最大的经济体，也是最依赖俄罗斯天然气的国家之一。德国已与几家液化天然气供应商签署了协议，这些液化天然气将被运往欧洲邻国，然后再被输送进德国。
Officials say they aim to end the use of Russian oil and coal this year and natural gas by mid-2024.
官员们表示，他们的目标是在今年停止使用俄罗斯石油和煤炭，并在2024年年中停止使用俄罗斯天然气。
It has not stopped the fears about the coming months.
这并没有阻止人们对未来几个月的担忧。
Germany issued an early warning Wednesday over gas supplies and called on companies and households to conserve amid concerns that Russia could cut off gas deliveries unless it is paid in rubles.
德国周三就天然气供应问题发出预警，并呼吁企业和家庭节约能源，因为担心俄罗斯可能会切断天然气供应，除非以卢布支付。
Western nations have rejected that demand, arguing it would undermine sanctions over the war.
西方国家拒绝了这一要求，认为这将破坏对这场战争的制裁。
“There have been several comments from the Russian side that if this [payments in rubles] doesn’t happen, then the supplies will be stopped,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck told reporters in Berlin.
俄罗斯经济部长罗伯特·哈贝克在柏林对记者表示:“俄罗斯方面已经多次表示，如果(以卢布付款)不能进行下去，那么将会停掉能源供应。”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday that switching payments for Russian gas to rubles is going to be a “drawnout process.”
克里姆林宫发言人佩斯科夫星期三表示，把俄罗斯天然气的付款方式换成卢布将是一个“漫长的过程”。
He noted that there is always a gap between gas supplies and payments and that the government will soon release details of the new plan.
他指出，天然气供应和支付之间总是存在缺口，政府将很快公布新计划的细节。
Mr. Habeck said those rules were expected Thursday.
哈贝克说，这些规定预计将于周四出台。
He called the early warning precautionary as Russia was so far still fulfilling its contracts.
他称早期预警具有预防性，因为俄罗斯到目前为止仍在履行合同。
It is the first of three levels and entails establishing a crisis team to step up monitoring of the gas supply, said Mr. Habeck, who is also energy minister and vice chancellor.
同时担任能源部长和副总理的哈贝克表示，这是三个预警级别中的第一个级别，需要建立一个危机小组，加强对天然气供应的监控。
Germany’s gas storages are filled to about 25% capacity.
德国的天然气储存容量达到了25%左右。
“The question how long the gas will last basically depends on several factors [such as] consumption and weather,” he said.
他表示:“天然气能持续多久的问题，基本上取决于消耗和天气等几个因素。”
“If there’s a lot of heating, then the storage facilities will be emptied.”
“如果有大量供暖，那么存储设施就会被清空。”
He added that Germany is prepared for a sudden stop in Russian gas supplies but warned of “considerable impacts” and urged consumers to help prevent a shortage by reducing their use.
他补充称，德国已准备好应对俄罗斯天然气供应的突然中断，但警告称会产生“相当大的影响”，并敦促耗能者通过减少使用来帮助防止供应短缺。
“We are in a situation where, I have to say this clearly, every kilowatt hour of energy saved helps,” Mr. Habeck said.
“我必须清楚地说，我们现在的处境是，节省的每一千瓦时的能源都是有帮助的，”哈贝克说。
The second warning level would require companies in the gas industry to take necessary measures to regulate supply.
第二个警告级别将要求天然气行业的公司采取必要措施来规范供应。
The third means full state intervention to ensure that those who most need gas – such as hospitals and private households – receive it, Mr. Habeck said.
哈贝克说，第三个预警是国家要全面干预，以确保那些最需要天然气的人——比如医院和私人家庭——能够获得天然气。
“We’re not there and we don’t want to go there,” he added.
他补充道:“我们还没有到那个地步，我们也不想到那个地步。”
Germany’s energy industry association, BDEW, supported the government’s move.
德国能源工业协会BDEW支持政府的举措。
While there isn’t a shortage yet, “it’s necessary for all those involved to have a clear road map in case of a supply interruption,” chairperson Kerstin Andreae said.
主席克斯汀·安德烈表示，虽然目前还没有出现供应短缺，但“所有相关方都有必要制定一个明确的路线图，以防供应中断。”
