This funding boost brings the total public investment to over PLN 130 million (around USD 30 million), with the project slated for completion in 2027.
Located on King George Island in the South Shetland Islands of Antarctica, the Henryk Arctowski Station has been operational since 1977. It stands as Poland's only year-round scientific research facility in the region, positioned about 75 miles from the Antarctic continent.
Source: arctowski.aq
During a meeting with officials from the Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IBB PAN), the body which operates the station, Science Minister Dariusz Wieczorek emphasized the strategic importance of the research center.
"I am pleased that the allocated funds will allow the completion of the comprehensive reconstruction of the Arctowski Station, which, due to its location, strengthens the international position of Polish scientific research and ensures Poland's presence on the international stage," Wieczorek said in a statement on Tuesday.
The minister highlighted the station's role in global climate change research, saying that its unique platform allows for broader participation in crucial environmental studies.
To date, including the funds allocated for 2024, more than PLN 70 million (USD 16 million) of public money has been spent on the project. The construction progress includes foundational work, steel structure assembly for the main building, two warehouse halls, a new sewage treatment and water system, fuel system upgrades, and electrical rewiring.
The final phases of the project will involve the prefabrication and placement of the main building's structure and its interior finishing.
"The comprehensive infrastructure overhaul will enable Poland to remain among an elite group of 20 countries that operate year-round scientific stations in Antarctica and maintain its consultative status in the Antarctic Treaty," the statement said, referring to Poland's role in international decisions regarding the governance of Antarctica.
(rt/gs)
Source: PAP
