Date: Sep 9,2025, Prepared by: Zero Emission Grid LLC
Project Details
- Study Area:
- Site 1: 95638, Herald, CA, USA
- Site 2: 95624, Elk Grove, CA, USA
- Owner: ELECTRIC POWER CO-OP INC.
- Case Study: Data Center Siting
- Software Used: REST®
Site 1: Data Center Site Assessment Report:
The Study Area Site meets several favorable conditions for data center development. The property lies on flat and smooth plains, is largely open land with minimal residential encroachment, and is located near cultivated agricultural areas. It benefits from proximity to robust power infrastructure, fiber access, and water availability, while being situated in a low wildfire hazard zone, low seismic probability zone, and outside of major FEMA flood risk areas. These characteristics make the site strategically positioned for scalable industrial development such as a data center. This analysis is conducted using REST®.
Power & Fiber Metrics Site 1: Data Center Site Assessment Report:
| Category | Details | Meet the criteria |
| Substations Proximity | – Cosumnes Substation (230 kV) – 1 mile, ~100 MW capacity available – Rancho Seco Solar Plant – 0.50 miles | ✔ |
| Transmission Line Proximity | – Rancho Seco–Bellota (230 kV, PG&E) – 0.05 miles -Gold Hill–Lockeford (115 kV, PG&E) – 0.35 miles | ✔ |
| Nearby Power Plants | – Cosumnes Power Plant – 556.8 MW, 0.10 miles (SMUD) – Rancho Seco Solar II – 160 MW, 0.10 miles (Rancho Seco Solar II, LLC) | ✔ |
| Planned Generators (Firm Queues) | – Rancho Seco–Bellota #1 (230 kV line) – 350 MW Presidio Storage Project – In-Service: 2028–2030, 1 mile | ✔ |
| Upgrades / Transmission Enhancements | – Lockeford–Lodi Area 230 kV Development – 5 miles, CAISO, In-Service 2027 – Valley Springs–Martell No.2 SCADA – 10 miles, PG&E/CPUC, In-Service 2027 | ✔ |
| Existing Loads Served (PG&E) | – COSUMNE1 – 5.38 MW – COSUMNE2 – 5.0 MW – COSUMNE3 – 4.2 MW – Distance: 0.50 miles | ✔ |
| Fiber Connectivity | Fiber access available within 1.4 miles (supports high-speed, low-latency communication) | ✔ |
Risk and Hazard Zone
| Category | Details | Meet the criteria |
| Water Availability | – Rancho Seco Park Lake – 1 mile – Dry Creek River – 3 miles – Freshwater Emergent Wetland – 1 mile | ✔ |
| Land Use & Cover | – West: Residential housing – North: Cultivated crops & grasses – South: Open areas | ✔ |
| Protected Areas (PAD-US) | Near NGO and Regional Agency Special District lands | ✔ |
| Land Surface | Flat Plains and Smooth Plains (400 acres approx.,) | ✔ |
Environmental Metrics
| Category | Details | Meet the criteria |
| Wildfire Hazard Potential | Low Zone | ✔ |
| Seismic hazard | Fall under 10% probability Zone | ✔ |
| Earthquake Risk | Fall under 10% units of gravity (g) | ✔ |
| Flood Hazard Risk | 1% Annual Chance Flood Hazard | ✔ |
| Drainage | Well to moderately well-drained soils | ✔ |
| Soil type | Alfisols and Mollisols | ✔ |
Overall Site Suitability
The site at Rancho Seco area, CA demonstrates strong potential for data center development due to:
- Immediate proximity to substations and transmission lines with available capacity.
- Access to significant generation resources (Cosumnes Power Plant, Rancho Seco Solar II).
- Planned grid upgrades and interconnection projects that support scalability.
- Favorable fiber connectivity within 1.4 miles.
- Low wildfire and seismic risk profile, with manageable flood and soil conditions.
- Adequate nearby water sources for cooling requirements.
- Flat land with suitable zoning context and minimal environmental conflicts.
Conclusion: This location is a strategically favorable candidate for future data center siting, offering both immediate infrastructure readiness and long-term scalability.
Site 2: Data Center Site Assessment Report:
The assessment reviews electrical infrastructure, connectivity, environmental risks, and geophysical conditions. Despite its flat terrain and proximity to transmission lines, the Elk Grove site is not suitable for large-scale data center development. Power capacity limitations, flood hazard risks, restricted water availability, and land-use conflicts outweigh the site’s advantages. For scalable, reliable, and resilient data center infrastructure, alternative sites with higher available capacity, multiple power and water sources, and lower environmental risks should be prioritized.
Power & Fiber Metrics
| Category | Details | Meet the criteria |
| Substations Proximity | – Elk Grove Substation (230 kV) – 3.2 mile, ~20 MW capacity available | ✖ |
| Transmission Line Proximity | – Elk Grove-Hedge (230 kV, PG&E) –2.1miles | ✔ |
| Nearby Power Plants | – Sacramento Regional WWTP – 40MW , 8 miles | ✖ |
| Planned Generators (Firm Queues) | Not Available in the Vicinity of The Site | ✖ |
| Upgrades / Transmission Enhancements | – Lockeford – Lodi Area 230 kV Development – 1miles, CAISO, In-Service 2027 | ✔ |
| Existing Loads Served (PG&E) | – Elk Grove 1 – 147.04 MW – Elk Grove 2 – 158.63 MW – Distance: 3.24 miles | ✔ |
| Fiber Connectivity | Fiber access available within 3.52 miles (supports high-speed, low-latency communication) | ✔ |
Environmental Metrics
| Category | Details | Meet the criteria |
| Water Availability | – Cosumnes River – 2 miles – No other water availability | ✖ |
| Land Use & Cover | – West: Residential housing – East: Cultivated crops & grasses – South: Open areas and Cultivated crops | ✔ |
| Protected Areas (PAD-US) | Near NGO and Local Government lands | ✖ |
| Land Surface | Flat Plains and Smooth Plains (300 acres approx.,) | ✔ |
Risk and Hazard Zone
| Category | Details | Meet the criteria |
| Wildfire Hazard Potential | Moderate to Low Zone | ✔ |
| Seismic hazard | Fall under 10% probability Zone | ✔ |
| Earthquake Risk | Fall under 10% units of gravity (g) | ✔ |
| Flood Hazard Risk | 5% Annual Chance Flood Hazard | ✖ |
| Drainage | Well to moderately well-drained soils and poorly drained for both the dominant and wettest components | ✖ |
| Soil type | Alfisols and Entisols | ✔ |
Overall Suitability Assessment
While the site has some favorable attributes, such as flat land, nearby transmission infrastructure, and access to fiber, the following constraints make it unsuitable for data center development:
- Insufficient Substation and Transmission Capacity: Only ~20 MW available at the nearest substation, far below modern data center requirements.
- Limited Power Redundancy: No nearby planned generation queues or sufficient scalable upgrades in the near term.
- Flood Risk: Presence in a 5% annual chance flood zone significantly reduces long-term resiliency.
- Water Constraints: Reliance on a single river source limits cooling reliability.
- Zoning Conflicts: Proximity to residential housing and agricultural land introduces regulatory and community acceptance barriers.
- Soil and Drainage Challenges: Poorly drained soil components increase development complexity and costs.
Conclusion: The Elk Grove site is not suitable for large-scale data center development. Limited power capacity, flood risk, scarce water resources, and land-use constraints outweigh its flat terrain and grid proximity. Alternative sites with stronger infrastructure and lower environmental risks are recommended.
Want the methodology behind this study? Explore Data Center Site Selection with REST® GIS Mapping Tool: Power, Fiber & Buildable Land.
