The BBC Atlantic Relay Station on Ascension Island is a highpower shortwave (HF) transmission facility operated and maintained by Encompass on behalf of the BBC. Its South Atlantic location provides strong coverage into key target areas including West, Central and Southern Africa, as well as parts of South America, supporting the BBC’s ability to reach audiences in challenging reception environments.
In addition to transmitter site operations, Encompass is also responsible for essential island utilities that underpin resilient broadcasting, including electrical power generation and the desalination plant required to produce and distribute potable water. This combination of broadcast engineering and critical infrastructure operation demonstrates our capability to deliver reliable services in remote locations.
Capabilities at Ascension Island Transmitter Station
- Highpower shortwave site operations supporting continuous, missioncritical broadcast delivery
- Planned and reactive maintenance for transmission systems and site infrastructure
- Remote location engineering support, combining on-island capability with specialist escalation and spares planning
- Asset integrity and resilience focus for RF, electrical and mechanical systems
- Safetyfirst delivery with disciplined maintenance planning and control
Ascension Island Power Station and Utilities
Encompass operates and maintains the Ascension Island Power Station on a notforprofit basis, providing electricity and water services that support both the BBC transmission facility and wider island demand. We also operate and maintain the desalination plant and the electrical and water distribution networks that deliver services to island users.
Sustainability is a core part of our approach on Ascension Island, including the installation of wind turbines to reduce reliance on diesel generation and lower the carbon intensity of island power.
To increase renewable energy utilisation and improve overall efficiency, Encompass and the BBC are working on a battery energy storage system (BESS) initiative designed to increase wind penetration into the island grid by storing wind generation for use when demand is higher.
Capabilities at Ascension Island Power Station
- Power station operations and maintenance for critical diesel and wind generation assets
- Grid and network upkeep across electrical distribution infrastructure
- Desalination plant operations supporting potable water production
- Water distribution network maintenance to deliver reliable supply to island users
- Energy resilience and sustainability projects, including development of battery storage to increase renewable utilisation