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Bonneville Power Execs Offered New Posts at DOE by Laura Barron-Lopez The Hill, October 18, 2013

Two Bonneville Power Administration executives who were suspended in July during an investigation into questionable hiring practices at the agency have been offered other positions within the Energy Department, congressional sources told The Hill on Friday.

Sources confirmed reports by The Oregonian that Bonneville administrator Bill Drummond and Chief Operating Officer Anita Decker are moving to new posts at the Department of Energy after being placed on administrative leave in July amid the probe. The Oregonian cited sources close to Bonneville and the individuals.

Neither Bonneville nor the Department of Energy (DOE) have commented on the status of the two employees since the investigation began. The DOE would not comment on the news about the two executives.

The Portland-based power agency has been under the microscope since July when House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) led a probe into the allegations that Bonneville Power's top brass were retaliating against whistle-blowers and discriminating against veterans.

Bonneville is one of four regional marketing agencies under the DOE. It operates the region's power grid while selling power from 31 hydroelectric dams.

Last week the DOE's Inspector General's office issued a scathing report of Bonneville's hiring practices and the management culture at the agency.

Bonneville failed to clean up it's act after a 2010 DOE report found the agency's hiring practices were not acceptable, according to the IG report.

The DOE's and Bonneville's actions will cost taxpayers and the power agency millions, the watchdog report said.