Powering Scott Base: McKay Joins Landmark Antarctic Redevelopment

The signing marks the next step following six months of close collaboration during the pre-construction phase, where careful planning and a shared focus on excellence and innovation helped establish a strong foundation for delivery.

Working alongside LT McGuinness, Antarctica New Zealand and the wider consultant team, McKay will deliver the specialist electrical infrastructure required for one of the world’s most unique and significant construction environments. The project scope includes medium voltage infrastructure, control systems, generators, low voltage switchboards and reticulation, as well as power and lighting systems.

Becky Thompson, South Island Regional Manager at McKay, who has been involved from the early stages of the project, reflects;

“It’s been a long pre-construction period, but one that has been necessary to ensure the project is planned for success. The team is ready for the next phase, and we’re already getting our thermals ready for life on the ice.”

McKay’s strong foundation of capability

McKay’s integrated delivery model is a key strength for a project of this scale. With a national workforce, central engineering team and in-house switchboard manufacturing capability, McKay has the depth, flexibility and control required to support long-term delivery. This breadth of resource was an important consideration for LT McGuinness in selecting an electrotechnology subcontractor with the experience and capacity to support on-ice deployment.

Delivering in one of the world’s most challenging environments

The Scott Base Redevelopment Project presents technical and logistical challenges unlike almost any other project. The Antarctic environment requires detailed planning for extreme cold, dry conditions, static control, low fault currents, transportation constraints, equipment warranties and long procurement lead times.

Materials must be prepared for shipping in 20-foot containers, with equipment either able to withstand temperatures as low as minus 60 degrees Celsius or be stored in heated containers to remain above freezing. With limited construction windows and a fixed number of personnel able to work on ice at any one time, careful sequencing, procurement and resource coordination will be critical to success.

Planning will need to account for long lead times, avoid downtime and manage workload peaks across the delivery period, ensuring McKay can maintain continuity, quality and control in one of the world’s most demanding construction environments.

Collaboration across the business

The project will also create opportunities for McKay people across the wider business. During the tender phase, McKay carried out an Expression of Interest process to understand interest in working remotely in Antarctica. The response demonstrated strong engagement from across the company and for those selected to work on the ice, the project represents a once-in-a-lifetime professional and personal opportunity. Team members will be involved in a highly specialised installation environment that requires technical capability, adaptability, teamwork and resilience.

Looking ahead

As the project moves into the next phase of delivery, McKay’s immediate focus will be procurement and logistics planning. The team will begin securing materials and preparing containers for shipping, with on-ice construction currently expected to commence in October 2028 following de-winterisation of material containers. McKay is expected to remain involved through the remaining delivery period, with completion currently scheduled for February 2030.

McKay is proud to contribute to a project that will help support New Zealand’s ongoing presence in Antarctica and provide critical infrastructure for future science, research and operations at Scott Base.