Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 17:44
Forums
Antarctic Undersea ROV 09

Hi Michele,

How are the services in McMurdo station managed? For example: Is there electricity and, if yes, how is it produced?

How is McMurdo station heated?

Assuming there is fresh water, how is the water generated?

Colleen (Michele's mother Fran's friend)

P.S. Is McMurdo station where the movie Eight Below was filmed?

Thu, 09/17/2009 - 21:45

Stacy Kim

Hi Colleen,The support services are mostly supplied by a civilian contractor,
currently RPSC and hopefully a new company this coming year.
Electricity is produced by a large generator, running on fossil fuels
(sadly), though there is a project that New Zealand is spearheading to
install wind generators to supply power for their station, which is
only a few kms away. If successful, this will possibly be scaled up
to power McMurdo as well. We do use "waste heat" from the generator
to warm up glycol, which is then pumped around the station to help
with heating the buildings. This is supplemental heat, the primary
heat in most buildings is provided by a building furnace. There is
fresh water that is obtained by reverse osmosis from seawater.
Experts to take care of all these things are employed by the
contractor. It has been an fun learning experience for me, as at home
I do not usually think about where my water, power and heat come from,
but the same kinds of folks have to run the same kinds of plants here
at home as do down there!
There are no dogs at McMurdo anymore, nor indeed on the continent.
This rule was enacted in 1993 to protect the seals from potentially
transmissible diseases, as well as from being killed for dog food.
Interestingly enough, none of the movie "8 Below" was filmed in
Antarctica, but was done in Canada, Greenland and Norway.
I'm looking forward to more questions from you and from Fran!
Best, Stacy
On Sep 17, 2009, at 6:44 PM, webmaster@polartrec.com wrote:

Fri, 09/18/2009 - 12:30

Michele Cross

Hi Colleen!
You sure are full of questions! And, that's a very good thing! I actually learned some things from reading Stacy's response. I didn't know about the glycol...never thought about the "how" of heating beyonf generators and fuel. Again, we do take those things for granted here--and many more--but when down there, nothing can be taken for granted. Wind generated electricity surely makes sense as Antarctica is the windiest place on earth.  
Glad you're following and hope you're learning much as I am and continue to do!!
Take care!
Michele