GRANDFATHER FALLS
SubstationWisconsin · NORTHERN STATES POWER CO - WISCONSIN
At a glance
GRANDFATHER FALLS is an electric transmission substation in Wisconsin, on NORTHERN STATES POWER CO - WISCONSIN's transmission network. It is classified as sub-transmission (115 kv) and connects 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #118683 | 115 kV | NORTHERN STATES POWER CO - WISCONSIN | IN SERVICE | 11.8 mi |
| #118858 | 115 kV | NORTHERN STATES POWER CO - WISCONSIN | IN SERVICE | 14.7 mi |
| #120226 | — | NORTHERN STATES POWER CO | — | 0.1 mi |
Nearby datacenter candidate sites
Scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of GRANDFATHER FALLS, 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EC Near Weston | Greenfield | WI | Marathon | — | — | 4.3 yrs | 61.5 |
| EC Near Domtar Paper Company Rothschild | Greenfield | WI | Marathon | — | — | 4.3 yrs | 60.5 |
| CASSEL | Substation-Adjacent | WI | Marathon County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.9 |
| WIEN | Substation-Adjacent | WI | Marathon County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.9 |
| SUNNYVALE | Substation-Adjacent | WI | Marathon County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.2 |
| SHERMAN ST | Substation-Adjacent | WI | Marathon County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.2 |
| HILLTOP (WPS) | Substation-Adjacent | WI | Marathon County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.1 |
| MAINE | Substation-Adjacent | WI | Marathon County | 115 kV | 100 MW | 4.3 yrs | 58.1 |
How does GRANDFATHER FALLS compare with other substations in Wisconsin?
Wisconsin has 1,930 substation records in HIFLD, of which 768 carry a station name; the rest are unnamed tap points, risers and line ends. 334 named substations in the state are in GRANDFATHER FALLS's 115–229 kV band (43% of named stations). 36 sit in a higher band. 34 named substations in Wisconsin operate at 345 kV or above. The highest voltage recorded in the state is 345 kV, and the state median is 115 kV.
Who owns the transmission lines at GRANDFATHER FALLS?
The 3 connected lines listed above are owned by NORTHERN STATES POWER CO - WISCONSIN, NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. Line voltages range from 115 kV to 115 kV. Their combined recorded length is about 26.5 miles.
How do candidate sites near GRANDFATHER FALLS score?
The 8 highest-scoring candidate sites within about 25 miles range from 58 to 62 on the 0–100 DC Readiness scale. They fall in Marathon, Marathon County. The Wisconsin average across 3,340 scored sites is 55.4. 1,248 of those Wisconsin sites are classed as substation sites (candidate locations generated at an existing substation).
Frequently asked questions
What voltage is GRANDFATHER FALLS substation?
GRANDFATHER FALLS has a maximum voltage of 115 kV. That places it in the 115–229 kV band. The median named US substation in this dataset is 115 kV, so GRANDFATHER FALLS is at the national midpoint.
How many transmission lines connect to GRANDFATHER FALLS substation?
3 transmission lines terminate at or pass through GRANDFATHER FALLS in the HIFLD line data. The connected lines listed here run at 115 kV. Together the listed lines cover about 26.5 miles.
Who owns GRANDFATHER FALLS substation?
HIFLD does not publish substation owners directly. Most of the transmission lines that end at GRANDFATHER FALLS belong to NORTHERN STATES POWER CO - WISCONSIN, and others to NORTHERN STATES POWER CO. GridCensus derives this from the line data, so confirm ownership with the utility for anything contractual.
Where is GRANDFATHER FALLS substation located?
GRANDFATHER FALLS is in Wisconsin at 45.3015, -89.7903. The datacenter candidate sites closest to it are in Marathon, Marathon County.
Are there datacenter candidate sites near GRANDFATHER FALLS substation?
GridCensus lists at least 8 scored candidate sites within roughly 25 miles of GRANDFATHER FALLS. The highest-scoring is EC Near Weston at 62/100. Across Wisconsin, the average DC Readiness score is 55.4.
Other 115 kV substations in Wisconsin
- MORRISON AVE· 10 lines
- NORTHERN STEEL CASTING· 8 lines
- T CORNERS· 7 lines
- PINE (WPS)· 6 lines
- SHERMAN ST· 6 lines
- HIGHWAY EIGHT· 5 lines
- KELLY· 5 lines
- WHITING AVE· 5 lines
- All named substations in Wisconsin· 768 stations
- Datacenter candidate sites in Wisconsin· 3,340 sites
- Brownfield and retired plant sites in Wisconsin
- 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, “GRANDFATHER FALLS substation, Wisconsin”, https://gridcensus.com/substations/wisconsin/grandfather-falls-21b8f4c1 (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 GRANDFATHER FALLS substation, Wisconsin 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.