In 1898, the West Kootenay Power and Light Co. first delivered electrical power to Rossland over a 32 mile long, 22,000-volt line from Bonnington Falls on the Kootenay River - the longest and highest voltage transmission line in the world at the time. This brick substation sheltered the transformers and equipment required to step down and deliver power to the city and the mines on Red Mountain just above the town. The substation was replaced with a larger and more modern one in 1929. This building was later converted into a private residence.
Built on a rubble stone foundation, the substation is all brick. When it was converted to a residence the owners were thoughtful enough that they even left the pass throughs for the entering wires in the front gable end. This building has been entered in the Rossland Heritage Register.
The dam (Bonnington Number One) which supplied the electricity was refurbished in 1925 with new generators and turbines installed later and continues to operate today. More dams have since been built on the Kootenay, with a total of six on a stretch of river between Bonnington and Castlegar with a combined output of over 750 megawatts.