BLACK RIVER
SubstationMichigan · CONSUMERS ENERGY CO
At a glance
BLACK RIVER is an electric transmission substation in Michigan, on CONSUMERS ENERGY CO's transmission network. It is classified as sub-transmission (138 kv) and connects 7 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #130593 | 138 kV | CONSUMERS ENERGY CO | IN SERVICE | 11.0 mi |
| #112185 | 138 kV | CONSUMERS ENERGY CO | IN SERVICE | 4.6 mi |
| #113825 | 138 kV | CONSUMERS ENERGY CO | IN SERVICE | 3.4 mi |
| #110793 | 138 kV | CONSUMERS ENERGY CO | IN SERVICE | 11.4 mi |
| #147076 | 138 kV | CONSUMERS ENERGY CO | IN SERVICE | 11.8 mi |
| #150350 | 138 kV | CONSUMERS ENERGY CO | IN SERVICE | 2.8 mi |
| #148004 | — | — | IN SERVICE | 12.1 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of BLACK RIVER, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TALLMADGE | Substation-Adjacent | MI | Kent County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 2.2 yrs | 68.1 |
| ROOSEVELT | Substation-Adjacent | MI | Ottawa County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 2.2 yrs | 67.7 |
| UNKNOWN128758 | Substation-Adjacent | MI | Ottawa County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 2.2 yrs | 66.8 |
| KENOWA | Substation-Adjacent | MI | Kent County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 2.2 yrs | 66.0 |
| UNKNOWN128736 | Substation-Adjacent | MI | Ottawa County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 2.2 yrs | 65.6 |
| OZ Kent | Greenfield | MI | Kent | — | — | 2.2 yrs | 64.7 |
| EC Near Autumn Hills Generating Facility | Greenfield | MI | Ottawa | — | — | 2.2 yrs | 64.1 |
| EC Near Claude Vandyke | Greenfield | MI | Allegan | — | — | 2.2 yrs | 63.6 |
How does BLACK RIVER compare with other substations in Michigan?
Michigan has 1,880 substation records in HIFLD, of which 277 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 106 named substations in the state are in BLACK RIVER's 115–229 kV band (38% of named stations). 44 sit in a higher band. 43 named substations in Michigan operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 765 kV, and the state median is 138 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at BLACK RIVER?
The 7 connected lines listed above are owned by CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. Line voltages range from 138 kV to 138 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 57 miles.
How do candidate sites near BLACK RIVER score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 64 to 68 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Kent County, Ottawa County, Kent, Ottawa. The Michigan average across 5,157 scored sites is 55.2. 768 of those Michigan sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is BLACK RIVER substation?
BLACK RIVER has a maximum voltage of 138 kV. That places it in the 115–229 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so BLACK RIVER is above the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to BLACK RIVER substation?
7 transmission lines terminate at or pass through BLACK RIVER in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 138 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 57 miles.
Who owns BLACK RIVER substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at BLACK RIVER belong to CONSUMERS ENERGY CO. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is BLACK RIVER substation located?
BLACK RIVER is in Michigan at 42.8072, -86.0555. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Kent County, Ottawa County, Kent.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near BLACK RIVER substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of BLACK RIVER. The highest-scoring is TALLMADGE at 68/100. Across Michigan, the average DC Readiness score is 55.2.
Other 138 kV substations in Michigan
- JACKSON· 14 lines
- VERONA· 11 lines
- DELHI· 10 lines
- BEECHER· 9 lines
- CHANDLER· 9 lines
- WEADOCK· 9 lines
- PRESQUE ISLE STATION· 8 lines
- BLANEY PARK SW STA· 7 lines
- All named substations in Michigan· 277 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in Michigan· 5,157 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in Michigan
- 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, “BLACK RIVER substation, Michigan”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/michigan/black-river-9d8c8f0e (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 BLACK RIVER substation, Michigan 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.