Dam Employee Firings Threaten Power Disruptions in Northwest

West Coast states and members of Congress worry that mass federal employee firings at Bureau of Reclamation dams and at the Bonneville Power Administration could disrupt hydropower generation in the Pacific Northwest.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson (D) is “deeply concerned” about how the firings at federal dams across the region may affect the Northwest’s primary power supply, spokeswoman Brionna Aho said Wednesday.

“These cuts are dangerous,” she said. “Increasing the risk of blackouts for our region is a security concern.”

It’s unclear how many employees have been let go at the BPA and the Bureau of Reclamation. Neither agency responded ...