VELARDE
SubstationNew Mexico · JEMEZ MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
At a glance
VELARDE is an electric transmission substation in New Mexico, on JEMEZ MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE's transmission network. It is classified as distribution (69–115 kv) and connects 1 transmission line. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #308849 | 69 kV | JEMEZ MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE | IN SERVICE | 11.9 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of VELARDE, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAOS | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Taos County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 3.5 yrs | 57.9 |
| OJO | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Los Alamos County | 345 kV | 600 MW | 3.5 yrs | 55.1 |
| BUCKMAN | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Los Alamos County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 3.5 yrs | 51.0 |
| UNKNOWN301063 | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Taos County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 3.5 yrs | 50.2 |
| WHITE ROCK | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Los Alamos County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 3.5 yrs | 49.7 |
| TALPA | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Taos County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 3.5 yrs | 49.7 |
| HERNANDEZ | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Los Alamos County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 3.5 yrs | 49.7 |
| STA | Substation-Adjacent | NM | Los Alamos County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 3.5 yrs | 49.6 |
How does VELARDE compare with other substations in New Mexico?
New Mexico has 619 substation records in HIFLD, of which 387 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 88 named substations in the state are in VELARDE's 69–114 kV band (23% of named stations). 282 sit in a higher band. 24 named substations in New Mexico operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 500 kV, and the state median is 115 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at VELARDE?
The 1 connected line listed above is owned by JEMEZ MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE. Line voltages range from 69 kV to 69 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 11.9 miles.
How do candidate sites near VELARDE score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 50 to 58 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Taos County, Los Alamos County. The New Mexico average across 1,535 scored sites is 47.8. 445 of those New Mexico sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is VELARDE substation?
VELARDE has a maximum voltage of 69 kV. That places it in the 69–114 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so VELARDE is below the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to VELARDE substation?
1 transmission line terminate at or pass through VELARDE in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 69 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 11.9 miles.
Who owns VELARDE substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at VELARDE belong to JEMEZ MOUNTAIN ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is VELARDE substation located?
VELARDE is in New Mexico at 36.1696, -105.9621. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Taos County, Los Alamos County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near VELARDE substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of VELARDE. The highest-scoring is TAOS at 58/100. Across New Mexico, the average DC Readiness score is 47.8.
Other 69 kV substations in New Mexico
- COTTONWOOD TAP· 4 lines
- #6· 3 lines
- ABIQUIU· 3 lines
- AZTEC TAP· 3 lines
- DEXTER TAP· 3 lines
- GLENCOE· 3 lines
- MAXWELL· 3 lines
- TURLEY SWITCHING STATION· 3 lines
- All named substations in New Mexico· 387 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in New Mexico· 1,535 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in New Mexico
- 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, “VELARDE substation, New Mexico”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/new-mexico/velarde-37041355 (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 VELARDE substation, New Mexico 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.