TAP159205
SubstationSouth Dakota · NORTHWESTERN ENERGY
At a glance
TAP159205 is an electric transmission substation in South Dakota, on NORTHWESTERN ENERGY's transmission network. It is classified as distribution (69–115 kv) 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
Connected transmission lines
Lines terminating at or passing through this substation, by HIFLD line ID, highest voltage first.
| Line ID | Voltage | Owner | Status | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #160938 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY | IN SERVICE | 4.4 mi |
| #161019 | 69 kV | NORTHWESTERN ENERGY | IN SERVICE | 12.6 mi |
| #177295 | 69 kV | — | — | 6.1 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of TAP159205, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNKNOWN133289 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Jerauld County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 61.2 |
| UNKNOWN131154 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Sanborn County | 230 kV | 300 MW | 4.3 yrs | 60.9 |
| UNKNOWN131263 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Davison County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.4 |
| UNKNOWN131271 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Davison County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.2 |
| UNKNOWN131203 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Sanborn County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.1 |
| TAP159721 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Aurora County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 4.3 yrs | 56.4 |
| UNKNOWN161869 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Davison County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 4.3 yrs | 56.4 |
| TAP161868 | Substation-Adjacent | SD | Davison County | 69 kV | 50 MW | 4.3 yrs | 56.4 |
Who owns the transmission lines at TAP159205?
The 3 connected lines listed above are owned by NORTHWESTERN ENERGY. Line voltages range from 69 kV to 69 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 23.1 miles.
How do candidate sites near TAP159205 score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 56 to 61 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Jerauld County, Sanborn County, Davison County, Aurora County. The South Dakota average across 1,151 scored sites is 54.7. 477 of those South Dakota sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is TAP159205 substation?
TAP159205 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 TAP159205 is below the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to TAP159205 substation?
2 transmission lines terminate at or pass through TAP159205 in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 69 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 23.1 miles.
Who owns TAP159205 substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at TAP159205 belong to NORTHWESTERN ENERGY. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is TAP159205 substation located?
TAP159205 is in South Dakota at 43.6945, -98.4353. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Jerauld County, Sanborn County, Davison County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near TAP159205 substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of TAP159205. The highest-scoring is UNKNOWN133289 at 61/100. Across South Dakota, the average DC Readiness score is 54.7.
More in South Dakota
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, “TAP159205 substation, South Dakota”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/south-dakota/tap159205-542834aa (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 TAP159205 substation, South Dakota 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.