日治時期
軟橋發電廠最早於臺灣日治時期，由新竹市北門鄭家在1912年所設立的新竹電燈株式會社在1919年5月竹東庄員崠子興建「軟橋發電所」，當時廠內共設置100KW之法蘭西式橫軸水輪發電機兩部。
1932年（昭和7年）10月1日，新竹電燈株式會社與「嘉義電燈株式會社」合併為「台灣電燈株式會社新竹出張所，並繼續營運軟橋發電所。
省政府時期
二戰戰後1945年，臺灣省政府成立臺灣電力公司並接收日治時期的軟橋發電所繼續運轉發電。後因水災報廢。
1988年，鑑於竹東圳改善完畢，臺電公司隨即展開軟橋水力發電廠的復建計劃。復建工程於1991年7月開工，1993年11月完成復建工程並更新廠內設備以及設置遠端遙控裝置，更新後，軟橋發電廠改由位於新北市新店區的桂山發電廠進行遠端遙控機組與水閘門開關。
現今
2001年，因應政府組織改革，軟橋發電廠改稱為軟橋機組，並繼續由桂山發電廠遠端管理，其全名改為桂山發電廠軟橋機組。
During the Japanese Occupation Period: The earliest Ruanqiao Power Plant was established in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation period. In 1912, the Hsinchu Electric Light Company, founded by the Zheng family of Beimen, Hsinchu City, built the "Ruanqiao Power Station" in Yuandongzi, Zhudong Village, in May 1919. At that time, the plant had two 100KW French-style horizontal shaft turbine generators.
On October 1, 1932 (Showa 7), the Hsinchu Electric Light Company merged with the "Chiayi Electric Light Company" to form the "Taiwan Electric Light Company Hsinchu Branch Office," which continued to operate the Ruanqiao Power Station.
During the Provincial Government Period: After World War II, in 1945, the Taiwan Provincial Government established the Taiwan Power Company and took over the operation of the Ruanqiao Power Station from the Japanese occupation period. It was later decommissioned due to flooding.
In 1988, given the completion of improvements to the Zhudong Canal, Taiwan Power Company immediately began operating the Ruanqiao Hydropower Station. The plant's reconstruction plan. Reconstruction began in July 1991 and was completed in November 1993, including equipment upgrades and the installation of remote control devices. After the upgrades, the Ruanqiao Power Plant was remotely controlled by the Guishan Power Plant in Xindian District, New Taipei City, for the operation of the generating units and sluice gates.
Currently, in 2001, due to government organizational reforms, the Ruanqiao Power Plant was renamed the Ruanqiao Unit and continues to be remotely managed by the Guishan Power Plant. Its full name is now Guishan Power Plant Ruanqiao Unit.
數位走讀