VOA常速英语2014--South Africa Leads Continent in Nuclear Development 南非领先非洲大陆核能研发

South Africa Leads Continent in Nuclear Development 南非领先非洲大陆核能研发

JOHANNESBURG — South Africa is Africa’s only nuclear power, and the first nation to have voluntarily relinquished 1 its nuclear weapons. The government then committed to being fully 2 transparent 3 about its nuclear activities, which include research and power generation. As other African nations now seek to develop nuclear power, South Africa can provide guidance.

南非是非洲唯一的核国家，而且是世界第一个主动放弃核武器的国家。南非政府保证其研究与发电等核活动完全透明。南非在核技术方面能够给非洲大陆什么启示？

South Africa is Africa’s economic powerhouse and home to its only working source of nuclear energy. The government estimates three million South Africans live without power, but the majority of the population has electricity and the government plans to develop more through nuclear energy.

南非是非洲的经济强国，而且掌握着非洲唯一可用的核能资源。尽管南非多数人家里都有电，但南非政府估计还有300万人生活在黑暗中。政府计划通过核能让更多的人用上电。

South African energy experts say they can lead the way for the continent.

南非能源专家说他们可以为整个非洲大陆带个头

“South Africa has the requisite 4 expertise 5 to embark 6 on further nuclear programs,” said Diboke Ben Martins, South Africa’s Minister of Energy.

南非能源部长马丁斯说：“南非拥有开展更多核项目所需的专业知识。”

“South Africa is involved in nuclear research, nuclear power generation for the last 27 to 30 years. So it is nothing new to us. And currently five percent of our electricity is generated by means of two generators 7 at the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, and we also have some nuclear facilities which are used extensively for medical research purposes and also isotopes 8 for medical purposes,” said Wolsey Barnard, who works for the Department of Energy.

南非能源部官员巴纳德说：“南非开展核研究与核发电已经有27年至30年时间了。所以这对我们来说不是什么新东西。目前，南非电力的百分之5来自库埃伯格核电厂的两个发电机组。我们还有一些广泛用于医学研究的核设施以及医用同位素。”

Physicist 9 Kelvin Kemm said South Africa also has the unique experience of stepping back from the nuclear weapons brink 10. During the apartheid era, the nation developed six complete atomic weapons.

物理学家、核非洲公司首席执行官凯姆说，南非还采取了不同寻常的行动，这就是放弃作为核武器国家的地位。在种族隔离时期，南非曾研制了6枚完整的核武器。

“We became the first ever to declare that we had nuclear weapons and to stop them. To build an effective nuclear weapon, you actually need an enrichment level of about 90 percent or more. For a nuclear reactor 11 you do not need to go anywhere near 20 percent...  A few years ago, we took the decision to downgrade it to 19 and a half percent, very visibly, to bring it under the safe level of 20. So the importance is, are you being safe and open with everybody in the business? Then it should be quite safe,” said Kemm.

“我们是世界上第一个宣布拥有核武器但主动放弃核武器的国家。要制造有效核武器，你需要具有将铀浓缩至百分之90以上的能力。而核反应堆甚至连百分之20都不需要。几年前，我们决定将浓度降至百分之19.5，很显然要低于百分之20的安全线。因此，重要的是，你的工作是否安全，是否对业界所有的人公开？如果是，那就应当很安全。”

South African companies say they have the expertise and desire to develop nuclear technology. Construction industry executive Jabulile Tlhako said nuclear energy is the only likely solution to South Africa’s energy challenges. The company she represents, Murray & Roberts, also builds power plants.

建筑业高级主管迪哈科说，核能是解决南非能源需求的唯一可能的途径。迪哈科的穆雷和罗伯茨公司也建造发电厂。

“Nuclear energy is safe, it is reliable and it is affordable 12. It is a form of energy that is affordable and its safe and we have to go through that route because now the energy industry is threatened,” said Tlhako.

她说：“核能这种能源安全，可靠，而且价格实惠。我们必须发展核能，因为现在能源工业面临威胁。”

As African cities grow and the continent’s energy needs rise, South Africa saod its nuclear knowledge may be the key to bringing the continent fully into the modern world.

随着非洲城市不断发展，非洲大陆对能源的需求日益增长，南非表示，其核知识可能是让非洲大陆全面进入现代世界的关键。