Water is an important part of papermaking. It also plays an important role in generating power. Hydroelectricity produced from the Fox River historically has provided power to many of the mills along its banks. On September 30, 1882, the country's first hydroelectric central power station using the Edison system brought electric light to the Vulcan Paper Mill, adjacent to the Atlas Mill, and its neighbors to the west, the Appleton Paper and Pulp Company, and the mansion on the bluff now known as Hearthstone. Today, the hydroelectric power plant operated by WE Energies across the Fox River from the Paper Discovery Center continues to generate electricity for its many customers.