GOLDEN PONDS TAP
SubstationColorado · WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION
At a glance
GOLDEN PONDS TAP is an electric transmission substation in Colorado, on WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION's transmission network. It is classified as sub-transmission (115 kv) and connects 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #202089 | 115 kV | WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION | — | 2.1 mi |
| #205258 | 115 kV | WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION | — | 1.5 mi |
| #205259 | 115 kV | WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION | — | 1.6 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of GOLDEN PONDS TAP, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHEROKEE | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Denver County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 3.5 yrs | 67.9 |
| SILVER SADDLE | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Denver County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 64.3 |
| REUNION | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Denver County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 63.9 |
| EC Near Front Range Project | Greenfield | CO | Weld | — | — | 4.3 yrs | 63.8 |
| VALMONT | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Broomfield County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 3.5 yrs | 63.6 |
| EC Near Zuni | Greenfield | CO | Denver | — | — | 3.5 yrs | 63.5 |
| EC Coal Adams County | Greenfield | CO | Adams County | — | — | 3.5 yrs | 63.4 |
| RIVERDALE | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Denver County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 3.5 yrs | 63.4 |
How does GOLDEN PONDS TAP compare with other substations in Colorado?
Colorado has 1,214 substation records in HIFLD, of which 400 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 206 named substations in the state are in GOLDEN PONDS TAP's 115–229 kV band (52% of named stations). 148 sit in a higher band. 20 named substations in Colorado operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 345 kV, and the state median is 115 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at GOLDEN PONDS TAP?
The 3 connected lines listed above are owned by WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION. Line voltages range from 115 kV to 115 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 5.2 miles.
How do candidate sites near GOLDEN PONDS TAP score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 63 to 68 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Denver County, Weld, Broomfield County, Denver. The Colorado average across 3,428 scored sites is 50.6. 899 of those Colorado sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation?
GOLDEN PONDS TAP has a maximum voltage of 115 kV. That places it in the 115–229 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so GOLDEN PONDS TAP is at the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation?
3 transmission lines terminate at or pass through GOLDEN PONDS TAP in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 115 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 5.2 miles.
Who owns GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at GOLDEN PONDS TAP belong to WAPA-- WESTERN AREA POWER ADMINISTRATION. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation located?
GOLDEN PONDS TAP is in Colorado at 40.1704, -105.1380. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Denver County, Weld, Broomfield County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of GOLDEN PONDS TAP. The highest-scoring is CHEROKEE at 68/100. Across Colorado, the average DC Readiness score is 50.6.
Other 115 kV substations in Colorado
- WEST STATION· 12 lines
- FLATIRON· 8 lines
- STORY· 8 lines
- BAYFIELD· 7 lines
- CLIMAX· 7 lines
- MANCHIEF· 6 lines
- MARTIN DRAKE· 6 lines
- NORTH· 6 lines
- All named substations in Colorado· 400 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in Colorado· 3,428 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in Colorado
- 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, “GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation, Colorado”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/colorado/golden-ponds-tap-f56689c3 (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 GOLDEN PONDS TAP substation, Colorado 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.