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Record Heat, Politics Inflame Iraq's Electricity Shortages

酷暑和政治加剧了伊拉克的电力危机

In Iraq's oil-rich south, the very hot summer months are forcing people to make a difficult choice. They can stay home and suffer the extreme heat, or go outside and increase their risk of coronavirus infection.

在石油资源丰富的伊拉克南部，炎热的夏季迫使人们做出艰难的选择。是选择居家忍受酷暑，还是冒着感染新冠病毒的风险外出。

That situation describes the daily life of Zain al-Abidin since COVID-19 restrictions brought an end to his job. Now, home every day, he listens to his baby daughter cry because she is so hot. Public electricity service fails for hours at a time. And, Abidin does not have enough money to buy private electric power that could cool his home.

这正是阿比丁（Zain al-Abidin）面临的困境，自新冠疫情的限制措施导致他失业后，这成为了他的日常生活。现在，每天回到家，他都会听到宝贝女儿因为炎热而哭泣。公共电力服务停电一次长达数小时。而且，阿比丁没有足够的钱购买私人发电机来给他的家降温。

Temperatures have hit record highs this summer. It was 52 degrees Celsius in Baghdad last week. Iraq's power supply has again failed to meet demand, leading to a renewal of anti-government demonstrations.

今夏的气温创历史新高。上周巴格达的气温是52摄氏度。伊拉克的电力再次出现供不应求的情况，导致反政府示威活动再次爆发。

Iraqi people are under a countrywide lockdown to try to stop the spread of COVID-19. Severe budget measures are also in effect. The country is experiencing an economic crisis blamed on the new coronavirus and falling oil prices.

伊拉克人民正在全国范围内实行禁闭，以阻止新冠病毒的传播。严格的预算措施也开始生效。由于新冠病毒和油价下跌，该国正在经历一场经济危机。

Politics interfere with Iraqi efforts to import additional energy. On one side, Iran is demanding payment for oil it already provided Iraq. On the other side, the U.S. is pushing Iraq to seek energy deals from other Gulf nations, say three senior Iraqi government officials. The officials spoke on condition that they not be identified.

政治因素同样导致伊拉克进口更多能源的工作受阻。一方面，伊朗要求伊拉克支付之前提供的石油的费用。另一方面，三名伊拉克政府高级官员表示，美国正在敦促伊拉克寻求从其他海湾国家获得能源交易。这些官员要求匿名。

In Baghdad, the sound of generators fill the air in the seconds following daily electricity outages. Public water stations in the city's streets provide people a way to cool themselves temporarily.

在巴格达，每天停电后的几秒钟内，到处都响起了发电机的声音。城市街道上的公共水站为人们提供了一种暂时降温的方式。

"We bring our children...and spray them with a hose to cool them down," said townsperson Ahmed Mohamed.

“我们带着孩子过去……然后用水管喷水，给他们降温。”

Protests have delayed reforms to the nation's electricity system. Private generator companies also seek to block the reforms that could harm their business interests. And Iraq appears at a loss on how to deal with a public unwilling to pay the government for electricity.

抗议活动推迟了国家电力系统的改革。私营发电公司也试图阻止可能损害其商业利益的改革。伊拉克似乎一筹莫展，不知道如何处理公众不愿向政府付电费的问题。

In the summer of 2018, poor electricity service led to large protests in Basra. In 2019, even larger anti-government demonstrations halted activity in Baghdad and other parts of the country's south. The protestors denounced the widespread corruption that has restricted the supply of services, including electricity.

2018年夏天，糟糕的电力供应导致巴士拉爆发大规模抗议活动。2019年，更大规模的反政府示威活动导致巴格达和伊拉克南部其他地区瘫痪。抗议者谴责了广泛存在的腐败现象，这种腐败限制了包括电力在内的各种服务的供应。

In Baghdad last week, Iraqi security forces killed two demonstrators protesting the electric power cuts.

上周在巴格达，伊拉克安全部队打死了两名抗议停电的示威者。

Aging power lines will cause a 1,000 megawatt drop in power this summer, says Iraqi Electricity Ministry officials. Supply already falls 10,000 megawatts short of demand, said a ministry official.

伊拉克电力部官员称，老化的电线将导致今年夏天的电力减少1000兆瓦。电力部的一位官员表示，电力供应已经比需求少了1万兆瓦。

Emergency measures are already in effect to re-direct power from oil field operations to homes, officials in oil and electricity ministries said.

石油和电力部门的官员说，紧急措施已经生效，将油田作业的电力重新输送到居民家中。

There is also the development of a gas hub in southern Iraq to feed the country's power demands. But an agreement between Saudi company ACWA Power and American Honeywell to build the hub has not been finalized.

此外，伊拉克南部开发了一个天然气枢纽，以满足该国的电力需求。但是，沙特公司ACWA Power电力公司和美国霍尼韦尔公司之间关于修建该枢纽的协议尚未最终敲定。

Meanwhile, Iraqis continue taking to the streets in protest.

与此同时，伊拉克人继续走上街头抗议。

"The protests are the only way to show this injustice," said activist Mohammed Ibrahim.

活动人士穆罕默德·易卜拉欣表示:“抗议是表达这种不公正的唯一途径。”

I'm Susan Shand.

苏珊·尚德为您播报。