An electronic dimming apparatus adapted for use in a distributed dimmer system, the distributed dimmer system comprising at least one alternating current supply; a plurality of lamp loads at spaced apart locations; a plurality of dimmer enclosures, the dimmer enclosures adapted to be located at spaced-apart locations in proximity to the lamp loads, each of the dimmer enclosures containing at least one semiconductor power controller coupled between a power input and a power output, the power output coupled to at least one of the lamp loads by at least one power connector; elongated power conductors coupling the power input of each of a plurality of the dimmer enclosures to the alternating current supply, at least a portion of the elongated conductors disposed within an elongated, substantially rigid enclosure, the enclosure mounting a plurality of power connectors at spaced-apart locations; and a trigger for variably controlling the average power supplied to the lamp load, the trigger responsive to at least a first input condition corresponding to a desired average power to be supplied to the lamp load and having at least one output coupled to the semiconductor power controller so as to determine the power condition of the semiconductor power controller, wherein a plurality of the dimmer enclosures are adapted to detachably mechanically engage the elongated enclosure, to provide a power inlet connector coupling with at least one of the power connectors of the elongated enclosure upon proper mechanical engagement of the elongated enclosure by the dimmer enclosure, and providing a power outlet connector suitable for coupling the power output to the lamp load.