匈牙利公布了一项与美国在核能领域的政府间协议，这一利润丰厚的领域可能在维克托·奥尔班下台后加强与华盛顿的关系。
Hungary unveiled an inter-governmental agreement with the US on nuclear energy, a lucrative area that may bolster ties with Washington following the ouster of Viktor Orban.
文/佐尔坦·西蒙 政府周二晚向议会提交的文本显示，匈牙利将“鼓励”在任何新的核能投资中选择美国的核能设计或公司，包括所谓的小型模块化反应堆。
By Zoltan Simon The text, which the government filed to parliament late Tuesday, says Hungary will “encourage” picking a US nuclear design or company for any new nuclear investments, including for so-called small modular reactors.
虽然该协议并未承诺匈牙利签署具体的美国合同，但它是一份路线图，可能为该国与俄罗斯的核能合作提供替代方案。它也可能成为新总理彼得·马扎尔与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普达成谅解的基础，后者曾在四月的关键选举中背书奥尔班。
While the agreement stops short of committing Hungary to a specific US contract, it’s a roadmap that may provide an alternative to the country’s nuclear cooperation with Russia. It could also serve as a basis for accommodation between new Prime Minister Peter Magyar and US President Donald Trump, who had endorsed Orban in April’s watershed election.
鉴于马扎尔拥有立法多数，匈美框架协议有望获议会批准，该协议是在外交部长阿尼塔·奥尔班（与被罢免的前总理无亲属关系）本周在华盛顿与国务卿马尔科·卢比奥会晤前提交的。这与匈牙利游说延长豁免美国制裁、以继续购买俄罗斯原油的时间点相吻合。
The Hungary-US framework, which parliament is poised to approve given Magyar’s legislative majority, was submitted ahead of a meeting between Foreign Minister Anita Orban, no relation to the ousted premier, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington this week. It coincides with lobbying by Hungary to extend an exemption from US sanctions for the continued purchase of Russian crude oil.
柏林美国马歇尔基金会研究员苏珊娜·韦格表示：“能源合作可能是新匈牙利政府奠定其与特朗普政府关系的最切实途径。”
“Energy cooperation is probably the most tangible way for the new Hungarian government to ground its relationship with the Trump administration,” said Zsuzsanna Vegh, a researcher at the German Marshall Fund of the United States in Berlin.
匈牙利目前正在进行能源政策审查，包括延长该国唯一核电站四个反应堆机组寿命的可能性，以及理清其由俄罗斯主导的扩建项目的未来，该项目已遭遇数年延误。
Hungary is currently conducting an energy-policy review, including on the possibility to extend the lifetime of the four reactor blocs in the country’s sole nuclear plant and to clarify the future of its Russian-led expansion, which has suffered years of delay.
前奥尔班政府十多年前曾将帕克什核电站新增两个反应堆的交易授予俄罗斯，在大选前几个月也曾向美国抛出能源交易，包括潜在采购10座美国小型模块化反应堆，估值约200亿美元。
The previous Orban administration, which had handed a deal to Russia to add two reactors at its Paks plant more than a decade ago, had also dangled energy deals for the US months before the election, including the potential purchase of 10 US SMRs with an estimated value of $20 billion.
威斯汀豪斯电气公司还签署了一份谅解备忘录，将向匈牙利帕克斯核电站供应核燃料，并利用其技术延长该核电站的运行寿命。
Westinghouse Electric Co. has also signed a memorandum of understanding to supply nuclear fuel to Hungary’s Paks plant and to use its technology to extend its lifetime.
根据框架协议，美国将协助促成潜在核能交易的融资安排，包括通过其进出口银行或其他美国官方贷款机构或融资机构。协议要求各方在协议生效一年内，就小型模块化反应堆技术进行市场分析。
The US would help to facilitate lining up financing for a potential nuclear deal, including via its Export-Import Bank or other US official lenders or financing institutions, according to the framework agreement. It calls for parties to conduct a market analysis for SMR technologies within a year of the agreement’s entry into force.
数十家公司正在基于新设计开发新一代核技术。许多公司专注于小型模块化反应堆，预计这些反应堆将在工厂制造并在现场组装，这一策略旨在降低成本并加快建设进度。尽管如此，这些技术仍未得到验证，行业需要证明其商业可行性。
Dozens of companies are developing the next wave of nuclear technology, based on new designs. Many are focused on SMRs, which are expected to be built in factories and assembled on site, a strategy aimed at reducing costs and accelerating construction. Still, the technologies remain unproven and the industry needs to prove their commercial viability.