How does the sewage and electrical systems work at an established station in Antarctica?
I imagine the answer varies from station to station. Here at the south pole, all our electrical power comes from generators that run on JP-8 airplane fuel. (They use a single fuel for almost all equipment here, both for ease of storage and to allow for delivery in the wings of airplanes.) I’m told by the power plant operators that the generators themselves are pretty common commercial diesel machines. There are four approx 700 KW generators, one of which is running at any given time, as well as a smaller peaker to handle occasional periods of high demand, and a spare generator in the emergency pod in case of disaster. Most of the station heating comes from the waste heat produced by the generators, supplemented by fuel powered boilers. Glycol lines, radiators, and air handlers distribute heat throughout the building. Out-buildings far from the station have either small fuel-burning boilers for heat, or else electrical heaters. They generally get their electricity from high voltage line
