NANTAHALA
SubstationNorth Carolina · DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC
At a glance
NANTAHALA is an electric transmission substation in North Carolina, on DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC's transmission network. It is classified as sub-transmission (138 kv) and connects 8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #103481 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | — | 0.1 mi |
| #109288 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | IN SERVICE | 16.9 mi |
| #119799 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | — | 0.2 mi |
| #120956 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | IN SERVICE | 8.2 mi |
| #122651 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | IN SERVICE | 25.8 mi |
| #138200 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | IN SERVICE | 16.9 mi |
| #145822 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | IN SERVICE | 22.5 mi |
| #147886 | 161 kV | DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC | IN SERVICE | 13.1 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of NANTAHALA, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WELLSVILLE | Substation-Adjacent | TN | Blount County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 3.9 yrs | 60.7 |
| UNKNOWN110049 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 60.5 |
| TAP144704 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 60.4 |
| UNKNOWN109778 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 60.4 |
| TAP144718 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 60.1 |
| UNKNOWN169933 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 60.1 |
| UNKNOWN109790 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 60.1 |
| TAP145896 | Substation-Adjacent | NC | Swain County | 161 kV | 100 MW | 5.3 yrs | 59.9 |
How does NANTAHALA compare with other substations in North Carolina?
North Carolina has 3,209 substation records in HIFLD, of which 106 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 23 named substations in the state are in NANTAHALA's 115–229 kV band (22% of named stations). 64 sit in a higher band. 10 named substations in North Carolina operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 500 kV, and the state median is 230 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at NANTAHALA?
The 8 connected lines listed above are owned by DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC. Line voltages range from 161 kV to 161 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 103.7 miles.
How do candidate sites near NANTAHALA score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 60 to 61 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Blount County, Swain County. The North Carolina average across 2,778 scored sites is 55.1. 1,087 of those North Carolina sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is NANTAHALA substation?
NANTAHALA has a maximum voltage of 161 kV. That places it in the 115–229 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so NANTAHALA is above the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to NANTAHALA substation?
8 transmission lines terminate at or pass through NANTAHALA in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 161 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 103.7 miles.
Who owns NANTAHALA substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at NANTAHALA belong to DUKE ENERGY CAROLINAS, LLC. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is NANTAHALA substation located?
NANTAHALA is in North Carolina at 35.2719, -83.6771. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Blount County, Swain County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near NANTAHALA substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of NANTAHALA. The highest-scoring is WELLSVILLE at 61/100. Across North Carolina, the average DC Readiness score is 55.1.
Other 161 kV substations in North Carolina
- SANTEETLAH· 6 lines
- WALTERS· 6 lines
- FONTANA· 5 lines
- HAYESVILLE· 5 lines
- MURPHY· 5 lines
- WEBSTER TIE· 5 lines
- CRANBERRY· 4 lines
- MARBLE TIE· 3 lines
- All named substations in North Carolina· 106 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in North Carolina· 2,778 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in North Carolina
- 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, “NANTAHALA substation, North Carolina”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/north-carolina/nantahala-863caedc (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 NANTAHALA substation, North Carolina 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.