MEAD
SubstationColorado · UNITED POWER, INC
At a glance
MEAD is an electric transmission substation in Colorado, on UNITED POWER, INC's transmission network. It is classified as distribution (<69 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
Connected transmission lines
Lines terminating at or passing through this substation, by HIFLD line ID, highest voltage first.
| Line ID | Voltage | Owner | Status | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #202086 | 46 kV | UNITED POWER, INC | — | 1.2 mi |
| #202087 | 46 kV | UNITED POWER, INC | — | 1.6 mi |
| #202088 | 46 kV | UNITED POWER, INC | — | 7.0 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of MEAD, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| UNKNOWN202185 | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Denver County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 63.4 |
| RIVERDALE | Substation-Adjacent | CO | Denver County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 3.5 yrs | 63.4 |
| EC Coal Adams County | Greenfield | CO | Adams County | — | — | 3.5 yrs | 63.4 |
How does MEAD 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. 3 named substations in the state are in MEAD's below 69 kV band (1% of named stations). 392 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 MEAD?
The 3 connected lines listed above are owned by UNITED POWER, INC. Line voltages range from 46 kV to 46 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 9.8 miles.
How do candidate sites near MEAD score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 63 to 64 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 MEAD substation?
MEAD has a maximum voltage of 46 kV. That places it in the below 69 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so MEAD is below the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to MEAD substation?
3 transmission lines terminate at or pass through MEAD in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 46 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 9.8 miles.
Who owns MEAD substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at MEAD belong to UNITED POWER, INC. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is MEAD substation located?
MEAD is in Colorado at 40.2194, -104.9421. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Denver County, Weld, Broomfield County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near MEAD substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of MEAD. The highest-scoring is SILVER SADDLE at 64/100. Across Colorado, the average DC Readiness score is 50.6.
Other 46 kV substations in Colorado
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, “MEAD substation, Colorado”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/colorado/mead-bc970de8 (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 MEAD 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.