EAST MESA 3
SubstationCalifornia · IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT
At a glance
EAST MESA 3 is an electric transmission substation in California, on IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT's transmission network. It is classified as distribution (<69 kv) and connects 2 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
Ownership
Connected transmission lines
Lines terminating at or passing through this substation, by HIFLD line ID, highest voltage first.
| Line ID | Voltage | Owner | Status | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #303973 | 92 kV | IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT | IN SERVICE | 3.6 mi |
| #307438 | — | IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT | IN SERVICE | 0.1 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of EAST MESA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMPERIAL VALLEY | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Imperial County | 500 kV | 1,000 MW | 7.6 yrs | 55.0 |
| Heber Geothermal | Brownfield | CA | Imperial County | 66 kV | 59 MW | 7.6 yrs | 54.3 |
| EL CENTRO | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Imperial County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 7.6 yrs | 51.6 |
| HIGHLINE | Substation-Adjacent | CA | Imperial County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 7.6 yrs | 50.6 |
| Ormesa I | Brownfield | CA | Imperial County | 66 kV | 31 MW | 7.6 yrs | 50.1 |
| Black Rock II | Brownfield | CA | Imperial County | 66 kV | 70 MW | 7.6 yrs | 49.5 |
| EC Near El Centro Hybrid | Greenfield | CA | Imperial | — | — | 7.6 yrs | 48.3 |
| BLM Solar DLA: Imperial East | Greenfield | CA | Imperial County | — | 1,350 MW | 7.6 yrs | 47.6 |
How does EAST MESA 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. 1,439 named substations in the state are in EAST MESA 3's below 69 kV band (48% of named stations). 1,504 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 EAST MESA 3?
The 2 connected lines listed above are owned by IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT. Line voltages range from 92 kV to 92 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 3.7 miles.
How do candidate sites near EAST MESA 3 score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 48 to 55 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Imperial County, Imperial. 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 EAST MESA 3 substation?
EAST MESA 3 has a maximum voltage of 66 kV. That places it in the below 69 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so EAST MESA 3 is below the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to EAST MESA 3 substation?
2 transmission lines terminate at or pass through EAST MESA 3 in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 92 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 3.7 miles.
Who owns EAST MESA 3 substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at EAST MESA 3 belong to IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is EAST MESA 3 substation located?
EAST MESA 3 is in California at 32.7745, -115.2649. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Imperial County, Imperial.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near EAST MESA 3 substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of EAST MESA 3. The highest-scoring is IMPERIAL VALLEY at 55/100. Across California, the average DC Readiness score is 45.4.
Other 66 kV substations in California
- SATICOY· 7 lines
- BRIGGSMORE· 5 lines
- CAROLINA· 5 lines
- DELSUR· 5 lines
- FEDERALGEN TAP· 5 lines
- GANESHA· 5 lines
- HAMILTON· 5 lines
- JERSEY· 5 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, “EAST MESA 3 substation, California”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/california/east-mesa-3-bfb40460 (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 EAST MESA 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.