BIG CREEK 3
SubstationCalifornia · AZUSA LIGHT & POWER
At a glance
BIG CREEK 3 is an electric transmission substation in California, on AZUSA LIGHT & POWER's transmission network. It is classified as high-voltage (230 kv) and connects 6 transmission lines. Substation proximity is one of the strongest speed-to-power signals for siting a datacenter — interconnection distance to an energized, high-voltage bus is often the binding constraint on time-to-energization.
Voltage & classification
Connected transmission lines
Lines terminating at or passing through this substation, by HIFLD line ID, highest voltage first.
| Line ID | Voltage | Owner | Status | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #302194 | 230 kV | — | IN SERVICE | 5.7 mi |
| #302301 | 230 kV | AZUSA LIGHT & POWER | IN SERVICE | 5.8 mi |
| #303041 | 230 kV | — | IN SERVICE | 5.7 mi |
| #307794 | 230 kV | — | IN SERVICE | 6.6 mi |
| #307841 | 230 kV | — | IN SERVICE | 63.1 mi |
| #309508 | 230 kV | — | IN SERVICE | 67.0 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of BIG CREEK 3, ranked by DC Readiness. Sites this close to an energized substation carry a strong speed-to-power advantage.
| Site | Type | State | County | Voltage | Capacity | Queue wait | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MANCHESTER | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Fresno County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 7.6 yrs | 54.9 |
| OZ Fresno | Greenfield | CA | Fresno | — | — | 7.6 yrs | 53.4 |
| BULLARD | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Fresno County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 7.6 yrs | 53.3 |
| PINE FLAT | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Fresno County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 7.6 yrs | 53.1 |
| BIG CREEK 4 | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Madera County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 7.6 yrs | 52.4 |
| BIG CREEK 3 | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Madera County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 7.6 yrs | 52.2 |
| WOODARD | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Fresno County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 7.6 yrs | 52.2 |
| BARTON | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Fresno County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 7.6 yrs | 52.1 |
How does BIG CREEK 3 compare with other substations in California?
California has 4,260 substation records in HIFLD, of which 3,003 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 384 named substations in the state are in BIG CREEK 3's 230–344 kV band (13% of named stations). 44 sit in a higher band. 44 named substations in California operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 500 kV, and the state median is 69 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at BIG CREEK 3?
The 6 connected lines listed above are owned by AZUSA LIGHT & POWER. Line voltages range from 230 kV to 230 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 154 miles.
How do candidate sites near BIG CREEK 3 score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 52 to 55 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Fresno County, Fresno, Madera County. The California average across 8,490 scored sites is 45.4. 1,573 of those California sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is BIG CREEK 3 substation?
BIG CREEK 3 has a maximum voltage of 230 kV. That places it in the 230–344 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so BIG CREEK 3 is above the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to BIG CREEK 3 substation?
6 transmission lines terminate at or pass through BIG CREEK 3 in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 230 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 154 miles.
Who owns BIG CREEK 3 substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at BIG CREEK 3 belong to AZUSA LIGHT & POWER. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is BIG CREEK 3 substation located?
BIG CREEK 3 is in California at 37.1483, -119.3885. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Fresno County, Fresno, Madera County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near BIG CREEK 3 substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of BIG CREEK 3. The highest-scoring is MANCHESTER at 55/100. Across California, the average DC Readiness score is 45.4.
Other 230 kV substations in California
- NEWARK· 30 lines
- COTTONWOOD· 21 lines
- RIO OSO· 20 lines
- BELLOTA· 19 lines
- ELLIS· 18 lines
- PITTSBURG· 18 lines
- EL CENTRO· 17 lines
- MOORPARK· 17 lines
- All named substations in California· 3,003 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in California· 8,490 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in California
- Substations by state
About this data
Source: HIFLD Electric Substations and Transmission Lines (U.S. Department of Homeland Security), as published June 29, 2026. See the methodology for how records are matched, cleaned and scored.
Cite as: GridCensus, “BIG CREEK 3 substation, California”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/california/big-creek-3-16d4d6d4 (data as of June 29, 2026).
Dataset updated . Screening estimates derived from public data sources.
Substation attributes are derived from public HIFLD / EIA infrastructure data and may lag real-world upgrades or retirements. Voltage and connected-line counts are screening figures — confirm available capacity and interconnection terms directly with the operating utility and ISO.
Go deeper than the public screen
Every site and score for BIG CREEK 3 substation, California is free to browse. Pro adds Watchtower on 25 sites, alerts when new candidate sites, datacenters or interconnection-queue requests appear in your markets, score and capacity history, and CSV export. Enterprise adds team seats, weekly data files for all 147,272 sites, the REST API and an MCP server for AI tools.