SKA-Mid interim Engineering Operations Centre (iEOC), Klerefontein. Credit: SKAO
SKA-Mid construction highlights BY TRACY CHEETHAM, SKA-MID SITE CONSTRUCTION DIRECTOR
The SKA-Mid team has been working non-stop on infrastructure development, environmental assessments, and making a difference in the local labour market.
Getting ready for the construction crew Set up has begun on the SKA-Mid contractor camp, just 15 km from the telescope core, which will house up to 275 people. Facilities company CSG will manage the camp, and it has begun hiring local residents from the established labour database for essential services such as housekeeping, catering, and security. The interim Engineering Operations Centre at Klerefontein is expanding as well, with extra space and service connections to accommodate the growing team.
Infrastructure rollout The essential infrastructure for SKA-Mid is rapidly being developed, with the initiation of road construction, electrical and fibre systems, antenna foundations, and monitoring equipment, essential for the contractor camp and telescope assembly. Geotechnical investigations have been completed in accessible areas, and environmental surveys will soon follow, spanning approximately 52 km of overhead infrastructure on National Research Foundation (NRF)-owned land and the telescope’s three spiral arms. Safety remains our top priority, and the SKA-Mid Health, Safety and Environmental team are carrying out twiceweekly safety inspections alongside monthly audits. Part of operating safely in such a remote environment is ensuring people can communicate across the site, so EMCOM Communications is helping to establish a low-frequency communication network. This will provide connectivity 10
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across the SKA-Mid core and spiral arms, but within stringent frequency parameters to ensure that the MeerKAT radio telescope’s sensitive observations are not disturbed.
Water conservation These infrastructure developments go hand–in–hand with implementing environmental plans and procedures, part of the Observatory-wide commitment to sustainability. That includes the start of environmental training for SKA-Mid construction teams, conducted by infrastructure contractors Power Adenco, focusing on protected plants and species of conservation concern found at the telescope site. Water conservation is crucial in the Northern Cape, and water extraction from on-site boreholes is being closely monitored. “Greywater” from the construction camp is being repurposed for dust suppression during construction.
Making strides on local participation One way the SKAO seeks to create a broader impact is through a commitment to local participation in the construction phase, to enhance local economic and human capital development. Infrastructure contractor Power Adenco is making significant strides in this area, following extensive consultations with local communities and the establishment of an independent database of available skills and local business enterprises.
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