The Stairs power plant is one of two power stations built but the Utah Power Company in 1896.(1) A brief history of this plant is given on the Granite Power Plant page of this web-site. The style of the Stairs building is similar to the Granite, but not exactly the same.

Like the Granite plant, the Stairs was also built as a hydro-electric plant. Water provided by a small reservoir hundreds of feet above the powerhouse adjacent to the Storm Mountain Picnic Area just below the old Maxfield Lodge. Also, like the Granite, a metal penstock carried water from the reservoir down-slope to the nozzle or "head" driving Pelton-wheels at this generating plant.

Electricity generated here fed customers up canyon as well as down. It was also used to electrify some mining operations in the canyon. 

As you can see from the image above, the Stairs plant has had more extensive repairs to the outer brick work. Though repaired and always trimmed out in a fresh coat of green paint, the transformer racks on the highway side of the plant and the old broken and unused insulator holes on the north and east walls of the building give it a more industrial and "run-down" look.

While the same age as the Granite plant, the Stairs plant looks far more tired and worn. Having said that, it is still fully functional, and still generating power.

It should also be noted that a very nice, small, private "employee & family" park and picnic area is located on the Stairs property.