TOWNSEND
SubstationMassachusetts · FITCHBURG GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY
At a glance
TOWNSEND is an electric transmission substation in Massachusetts, on FITCHBURG GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY's transmission network. It is classified as unclassified 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #102986 | — | FITCHBURG GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY | IN SERVICE | 6.2 mi |
| #113522 | — | FITCHBURG GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY | IN SERVICE | 3.4 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of TOWNSEND, 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 Landfill | Brownfield | NH | Hillsborough | — | 3 MW | 4.3 yrs | 70.2 |
| UNKNOWN133682 | Substation-Adjacent | MA | Middlesex County | 450 kV | 600 MW | 4.3 yrs | 68.3 |
| EAGLE | Substation-Adjacent | NH | Hillsborough County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 4.3 yrs | 68.2 |
| AMHERST | Substation-Adjacent | NH | Hillsborough County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 4.3 yrs | 67.8 |
| UNKNOWN137065 | Substation-Adjacent | NH | Hillsborough County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 67.8 |
| BEDFORD | Substation-Adjacent | NH | Hillsborough County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 67.7 |
| UNKNOWN132744 | Substation-Adjacent | NH | Hillsborough County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 4.3 yrs | 67.6 |
| UNKNOWN132736 | Substation-Adjacent | NH | Hillsborough County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 67.6 |
Who owns the transmission lines at TOWNSEND?
The 2 connected lines listed above are owned by FITCHBURG GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY. Their combined recorded length is about 9.6 miles.
How do candidate sites near TOWNSEND score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 68 to 70 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Hillsborough, Middlesex County, Hillsborough County. The Massachusetts average across 1,861 scored sites is 54.2. 305 of those Massachusetts sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
How many transmission lines connect to TOWNSEND substation?
2 transmission lines terminate at or pass through TOWNSEND in the HIFLD line data. Together the listed lines cover about 9.6 miles.
Who owns TOWNSEND substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at TOWNSEND belong to FITCHBURG GAS AND ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is TOWNSEND substation located?
TOWNSEND is in Massachusetts at 42.6609, -71.6967. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Hillsborough, Middlesex County, Hillsborough County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near TOWNSEND substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of TOWNSEND. The highest-scoring is Manchester Landfill at 70/100. Across Massachusetts, the average DC Readiness score is 54.2.
More in Massachusetts
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, “TOWNSEND substation, Massachusetts”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/massachusetts/townsend-558b1f4f (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 TOWNSEND substation, Massachusetts 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.