The top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, David Vitter (R-LA), has alleged that the “Richard Windsor” emails show collusion between Jackson and FERC chairman Jon Wellinghoff. Vitter says Wellinghoff supported regulations that could lead to power plants closing and reducing grid reliability.

The House Energy & Commerce Committee’s subpanel on environment and the economy will hold a hearing tomorrow on “Implementing the Nuclear Waste Policy Act – Next Steps.” The hearing follows an August 13 ruling by the US Court of Appeals finding that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must resume its consideration of a plan to store nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain. Witnesses are scheduled to include NRC chair Allison Macfarlane and DOE assistant secretary for nuclear energy Peter Lyons.