>> Sreenivasan: ON THIS EDITION

FOR SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22.

PRESIDENT TRUMP PUSHES HIS TAX

PLAN WHILE THE RHETORIC OVER

GOLD STAR FAMILIES CONTINUES

THE PLIGHT OF THE ROHINGYA

MUSLIMS FLEEING MYANMAR.

AND IN OUR SIGNATURE SEGMENT:

EXTENDING THE LIVES OF AGING

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE

PURSUIT OF CLEAN ENERGY

NEXT ON PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

>>FROM THE TISCH WNET STUDIOS

AT LINCOLN CENTER IN NEW YORK,

HARI SREENIVASAN.

>> Sreenivasan: GOOD EVENING AND

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID TODAY HE

BELIEVES HE HAS THE VOTES IN THE

REPUBLICAN-CONTROLLED CONGRESS

TO PASS HIS TAX REFORM BILL

CALLING FOR WHAT HE CLAIMS ARE

RECORD TAX CUTS BY THE END OF

THE YEAR IF NOT SOONER.

>> IT'LL BE THE BIGGEST CUTS

EVER IN THE HISTORY OF THIS

COUNTRY.

AND I THINK THAT THERE'S

TREMENDOUS APPETITE.

THERE'S TREMENDOUS SPIRIT FOR

IT, NOT ONLY BY THE PEOPLE WE'RE

DEALING WITH IN CONGRESS, BUT

FOR THE PEOPLE OUT THERE THAT

WANT TO SEE SOMETHING.

>> Sreenivasan: THE REPUBLICAN

PLAN PROPOSES TAX CUTS OF UP TO

$6 TRILLION AND IS EXPECTED TO

ADD UP TO $1.5 TRILLION TO THE

DEFICIT OVER THE NEXT DECADE.

BUT THE WHITE HOUSE CLAIMS THE

CUTS WOULD PAY FOR THEMSELVES

BY BOOSTING U.S. ANNUAL ECONOMIC

GROWTH TO THREE PERCENT OR

MORE.

SENATE MAJORITY LEADER MITCH

McCONNELL WAS ASKED IF HE'S

ABANDONING THE GOAL OF A

REVENUE-NEUTRAL BILL.

>> ACTUALLY WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE

THAT'S A RATHER CONSERVATIVE

ESTIMATE OF HOW MUCH GROWTH

YOU'LL GET OUT OF THIS PRO-

GROWTH TAX REFORM, WHICH REDUCES

RATES FOR THE MIDDLE CLASS,

WHICH MAKES IT CONSIDERABLY LESS

LIKELY THAT JOBS GO OVERSEAS BY

CORRECTING BUSINESS TAXES IN

SUCH A WAY THAT PRODUCES MORE

JOBS AND OPPORTUNITY.

>> Sreenivasan: ON THE

CONTENTIOUS MATTER OF HEALTH

CARE, LEADER McCONNELL SAID HE

WOULD BRING A BIPARTISAN BILL

TO THE FLOOR THAT WOULD CONTINUE

COST-SHARING SUBSIDIES TO

INSURANCE COMPANIES FOR TWO MORE

YEARS, IF HE COULD BE CERTAIN

PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD GO ALONG.

>> IF THERE IS A NEED FOR SO ME

KIND OF INTERIM STEP HERE TO

STABILIZE THE MARKET, WE NEED A

BILL THE PRESIDENT WILL ACTUALLY

SIGN.

AND I'M NOT CERTAIN YET, WHAT

THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING FOR

HERE BUT I'LL BE HAPPY TO BRING

A BILL TO THE FLOOR IF I KNOW

PRESIDENT TRUMP WOULD SIGN IT.

>> Sreenivasan: SENATE MINORITY

LEADER CHUCK SCHUMER SAYS THE

SO-CALLED ALEXANDER-MURRAY BILL

HAS THE VOTES TO PASS RIGHT NOW:

>> IT TOOK MONTHS TO WORK OUT.

IT HAS A MAJORITY.

IT HAS 60 SENATORS SUPPORTING

IT.

WE HAVE ALL 48 DEMOCRATS, 12

REPUBLICANS.

I WOULD URGE SENATOR McCONNELL

TO PUT IT ON THE FLOOR

IMMEDIATELY THIS WEEK.

IT WILL PASS.

AND IT WILL PASS WITH A LARGE

NUMBER OF VOTES.

>> Sreenivasan: MEANWHILE, THE

WHITE HOUSE CONFIRMED THAT

PRESIDENT TRUMP WILL SPEND AT

LEAST $430,000 OF HIS OWN MONEY

TO HELP WHITE HOUSE AIDES AND

FORMER CAMPAIGN STAFFERS PAY

LEGAL BILLS STEMMING FROM

INVESTIGATIONS INTO ELECTION

MEDDLING BY RUSSIA.

THE ONGOING RUSSIA

INVESTIGATIONS IS JUST ONE OF

THE ITEMS THAT CONTINUES TO HANG

OVER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

EVEN THE MOST SOLEMN OF

PRESIDENTIAL DUTIES--

CONDOLENCES TO FALLEN MEMBERS OF

THE MILITARY-- CONTINUED TO

DISSOLVE INTO RECRIMINATIONS AND

FALSE ACCUSATIONS THIS WEEKEND.

THE PATH FORWARD ON HEALTH CARE

WAS SURROUNDED BY CONFUSION, AND

THE PROSPECTS FOR MUCH-LONGED

BIPARTISANSHIP SEEMED BRIGHTER

ONE DAY AND GLOOMY THE NEXT.

HERE TO TALK ABOUT THIS IS

NEWSHOUR WEEKEND SPECIAL

CORRESPONDENT JEFF GREENFIELD.

ALL HAVE DIFFERENT ISSUES ON THE

SURFACE, ANY COMMON THREAD?

>> YEAH, THE OCCUPANT OF THE

OVAL OFFICE AND SPECIFICALLY HIS

UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP TO REALITY.

WHEN THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES WHEN

HE IS SERVED SOMETHING IT IS BY

DEFINITION TRUE AND THAT PUTS

EVERYBODY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE

STAFF AND HIS CONGRESSIONAL

ALLIES UP ON THE HILL INTO

STATES OF ALMOST PANIC.

HE GETS INTO THIS FIGHT WITH A

CONGRESSWOMAN WHO SAID HE LEFT

THE WIDOW OF ONE OF THE FALLEN

SOLDIERS, AND SOMEHOW THAT

RESULTS IN THE MOST RESPECTED

APOLITICAL MEMBER OF THE

WHITE HOUSE STAFF, THE

CHIEF OF STAFF KELLY, GENERAL

JOHN KELLY GETS INTO THIS

DISCUSSION WHERE HE MAKES

ASSERTIONS ABOUT THE

CONGRESSWOMAN THAT ARE REFUTABLE

ON TAPE.

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE

SITUATION OF HEALTH CARE, JEFF,

WE'RE GOING DO A BIPARTISAN STOP

GAP, NO, WE'RE NOT BECAUSE I

REALLY WANT GRAHAM CASSIDY

PASSED BECAUSE WE HAVE THE

VOTES.

WHICH HE DOESN'T.

AND EVEN POLITICALLY ONE DAY IS

HE STANDING NEXT TO MITCH

McCONNELL, THE SENATE

LEADER, SAYS YEAH, NEVER BEEN

CLOSER.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THE TWO OF THEM

HAVE BEEN SCREAMING AT EACH

OTHER AND AT THE SAME TIME HE IS

SAYING THAT'S MY GUY.

HIS FORMER SENIOR STRATEGIST

STEVE BANNON IS SAYING

EXPLICITLY I'M GOING AFTER

MITCH MCCONNELL, I'M

DECLARING WAR ON THE G.O.P.

ESTABLISHMENT.

>> Sreenivasan: YOU MENTIONED

THE BIPARTISAN DEAL, LAMAR

ALEXANDER, PATTY MURRAY FROM

WASHINGTON, HAVE SOMETHING THAT

GETS SOME BIPARTISAN SUPPORT,

YOU'VE GOT 12 REPUBLICANS ON

BOARD, 60 VOTES IN THE SENATE,

BEGINNING?

>> WELL, THE NARROW ANSWER IS

SEE ABOVE.

BY WHICH I MEAN IF THE

PRESIDENT WAS CLEARLY AND

CONSISTENTLY SAYING I WANT THIS,

THEN MITCH McCONNELL AND SPEAKER

RYAN WOULD DELIVER ENOUGH

REPUBLICANS EVEN IF THE COST OF

INFURIATING THE MORE MILITANT

CONSERVATIVES IN BOTH HOUSES.

BUT IF THE PRESIDENT IS GOING

FROM ONE END TO THE NEXT SAYING

YEAH, NO, MAYBE, YOU KIND OF

WONDER ARE THEY GOING TO

STICK THEIR NECKS OUT ON

BEHALF OF A POLICY THAT

MAY BE UNDERCUT.

WE SHOULD ALSO NOTE A COUPLE OF

DAYS AGO THE NEW D.N.C. CHAIR,

DEMOCRATIC CHAIR, TOM PEREZ,

CALLED THE PRESIDENT AN

EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO THE

NATION.

AND IT IS PRETTY CLEAR IF THE

DEMOCRATS WERE TO TAKE THE HOUSE

NEXT YEAR, ITEM ONE FOR

THEM WOULD BE IMPEACHMENT.

THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE

A RECIPE FOR A MOVE TOWARDS

BIPARTISANSHIP.

>> Sreenivasan: HOW DO YOU

TRANSLATE FROM WHERE WE ARE AT

TO ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTING POLICY,

HEALTH CARE YESTERDAY WE WERE

TALKING ABOUT NAFTA THAT ARE

REALLY CONSEQUENTIAL, YOU LOOK

AT ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY BEING

CHANGED AT THE E.P.A.

>> IT IS ENTIRELY POSSIBLE

WE'RE HEADED TOWARD A

HEALTH CARE SITUATION

WHERE MILLIONS WILL BE PAYING

WAY MORE IN PREMIUMS AND OTHER

COUNTLESS NUMBERS WILL BE DENIED

COVERAGE ALL TOGETHER.

IF NAFTA IS REPUDIATED, WHAT

THAT DOES TO AGRICULTURE

INDUSTRY ACROSS WIDE SWATHS

OF THIS COUNTRY IS GOING

TO BE DEVASTATING.

YOU'VE GOT I DON'T KNOW

HOW MANY SO CALLED DREAMERS,

THE CHILDREN OF THE

UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS WHO WERE

TOLD BY SPEAKER RYAN REST EASY,

TOLD BY THE PRESIDENT WE WILL

FIX THIS, WHO NOW FACE THIS

UNCERTAINTY.

>> Sreenivasan: WHAT ABOUT

THIS NOTION THAT THE PRESIDENT

IS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE LEGAL

FEES ON THE ONE SIDE HE SAYS

WELL, THAT'S A VERY RESPECTABLE

THING TO DO?

THESE PEOPLE WILL HAVE BETTER

REPRESENTATION BECAUSE HE CAN

AFFORD IT.

IS THERE AN ETHICAL, LEGAL,

POLITICAL CONCERNS?

IS THERE AT LEAST THE APPEARANCE

OF IMPROPRIETY?

>> I GUESS THE QUESTION IS GOING

TO BE WHAT UNDERLIES THIS OFFER?

IN OTHER WORDS, CLEARLY TRUMP'S

ADVERSARIES ARE GOING TO SAY

THIS SURE LOOKS LIKE SOME WAY TO

MAKE SURE THAT THEY SAY WHAT THE

PRESIDENT WANTS THEM TO SAY.

WHAT THE UNDERLYING REALITY OF

THIS IS I DON'T KNOW AND WHAT

THE PRESIDENT WILL SAY ABOUT

THIS 48 HOURS FROM NOW, I

WOULDN'T BET A NICKEL ON THAT.

>> Sreenivasan: JEFF

GREENFIELD, THANKS SO MUCH FOR

JOINING US.

>> Sreenivasan: IN JAPAN, PRIME

MINISTER SHINZO ABE'S DECISION

TO CALL A SNAP ELECTION HAS PAID

OFF.

IN TODAY'S PARLIAMENTARY VOTE,

EXIT POLLS AND PROJECTIONS SHOW

ABE'S RULING COALITION RACKING

UP A BIG WIN AND POSSIBLY

RETAINING ITS TWO-THIRDS SUPER

MAJORITY IN THE POWERFUL LOWER

HOUSE.

FIRST ELECTED IN 2012, THE PRO-

U.S. ABE IS ON TRACK TO STAY IN

OFFICE UNTIL 2021, AND BECOME

JAPAN'S LONGEST-SERVING PRIME

MINISTER

IN SYRIA, THE U.S.-BACKED AND

KURDISH-LED SYRIAN DEMOCRATIC

FORCES CLAIMED A MAJOR VICTORY

TODAY.

THE S.D.F. SAYS ITS FIGHTERS

HAVE RECAPTURED SYRIA'S BIGGEST

OIL FIELD-- THE AL-OMAR FIELD

NEAR THE BORDER WITH IRAQ FROM

ISLAMIC STATE MILITANTS WHO

SEIZED IT THREE YEARS AGO.

THE ALMOST 10,000 BARRELS A DAY

THE FIELD PRODUCES WERE A BIG

SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR THE

TERRORIST GROUP.

U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX

TILLERSON BEGAN A SIX-DAY

OVERSEAS TRIP TODAY IN SAUDI

ARABIA.

HE HELD AN UNUSUAL JOINT MEETING

WITH KING SALMAN, THE SAUDI

FOREIGN MINISTER, AND IRAQI

PRIME MINISTER HAIDER AL-ABADI.

TILLERSON SAYS HE URGED THE

LEADERS OF BOTH COUNTRIES TO

COOPERATE FURTHER TO ISOLATE

IRAN AND REIN-IN IRAN'S

INFLUENCE IN IRAQ AND THE MIDDLE

EAST.

HE CALLED FOR IRAQ TO DISBAND

IRANIAN-SUPPORTED MILITIA FORCES

TO COUNTER WHAT HE CALLED IRAN'S

"MALIGN BEHAVIOR."

SAYING IT'S TIME FOR THEM TO "GO

HOME."

TILLERSON'S TRIP INCLUDES STOPS

IN QATAR, PAKISTAN AND INDIA.

>> Sreenivasan: AFTER CREATING

THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

AGENCY IN 1970, PRESIDENT

RICHARD NIXON ANNOUNCED A VISION

FOR ENERGY INDEPENDENCE THAT

INCLUDED BUILDING 1,000 NUCLEAR

POWER PLANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.

THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY'S PLANS TO

EXPAND WERE STYMIED OVER SAFETY

CONCERNS FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT

AT THREE MILE ISLAND IN 1979,

AND OVER DISPUTES ABOUT HOW TO

DISPOSE OF SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL

RODS.

TODAY, 99 COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR

REACTORS ARE OPERATING IN 30

STATES.

IN TONIGHT'S SIGNATURE SEGMENT,

NEWSHOUR WEEKEND'S CHRISTOPHER

BOOKER REPORTS THAT CLIMATE

CHANGE IS GIVING SOME NUCLEAR

POWER PLANTS A NEW LEASE ON

LIFE.

THIS STORY IS PART OF OUR SERIES

"PERIL & PROMISE-- THE CHALLENGE

OF CLIMATE CHANGE."

>> Reporter: AT THE 48-YEAR-OLD

R.E. GINNA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT,

IN THE UPSTATE NEW YORK TOWN OF

ONTARIO, THE NEXT GENERATION OF

PLANT OPERATORS IS RUNNING A

DRILL.

>> READY!

>> Reporter: IN THIS REPLICA OF

A REAL CONTROL ROOM, THEY'RE

PRACTICING HOW TO ADD WATER TO

THE NUCLEAR REACTOR, ONE OF THE

OLDEST IN THE COUNTRY.

REACTORS THAT WERE BUILT TO

LAST AROUND 40 YEARS.

THESE TECHNICIANS ARE PART OF

600 ENERGY JOBS THAT DEPEND ON

FINANCIAL INTERVENTION FROM THE

STATE OF NEW YORK.

GINNA IS ONE OF ONLY FOUR

NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS LEFT IN NEW

YORK, WHICH GETS 30% OF ITS

ELECTRICITY FROM NUCLEAR POWER.

BUT THIS NUCLEAR ENERGY

CONSTITUTES 55% OF THE STATE'S

CARBON-FREE ENERGY-- THE ENERGY

GENERATED WITHOUT RELEASING

CARBON DIOXIDE, A MAJOR

CONTRIBUTOR TO GLOBAL WARMING.

JOE DOMINGUEZ IS EXECUTIVE VICE

PRESIDENT OF GOVERNMENTAL AND

REGULATORY AFFAIRS FOR EXELON,

THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THREE

OF THE STATE'S NUCLEAR PLANTS.

>> OUR CUSTOMERS WANT

ELECTRICITY THAT'S RELIABLE,

AFFORDABLE AND DOESN'T HAVE

ASSOCIATED AIR POLLUTION.

AND SO NUCLEAR FITS THAT ROLE

VERY WELL.

>> Reporter: BUT INCREASING

FINANCIAL LOSSES, THE GINNA

PLANT ALONE LOST $100 MILLION IN

2012 AND 2013, PUSHED EXELON TO

CONSIDER SHUTTING DOWN THEIR

NUCLEAR FACILITIES STARTING THIS

YEAR.

>> WE HAD NOTIFIED THE

EMPLOYEES.

WE TOLD THEM THAT THE JOBS

WOULD BE DONE.

ACROSS ALL OF THE PLANTS THAT

WERE AFFECTED, WE WERE TALKING

ABOUT 5,000 JOBS.

>> Reporter: GIVEN THE AGE OF

THE FLEET, ARE CONCERNS

WARRANTED ABOUT THE SAFETY?

>> NO.

I DON'T THINK THEY ARE.

I THINK THERE'S A MISCONCEPTION

THAT THE FLEET IS THE SAME FLEET

THAT WAS BUILT A FEW DECADES

AGO.

AND IN REALITY WE'VE CHANGED ALL

THE MAJOR COMPONENTS, THE

COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, AND WE'VE

ESSENTIALLY RETROFITTED ALL OF

THESE PLANTS TO STATE-OF-THE-ART

TECHNOLOGY.

>> Reporter: PROPONENTS OF

NUCLEAR ENERGY ARGUE THESE

PLANTS DIMINISH THE USE OF

FOSSIL FUELS, PROVIDING A BRIDGE

TO A FUTURE WHEN RENEWABLE

SOURCES LIKE SOLAR, HYDROPOWER,

AND WIND HAVE GREATER CAPACITY.

HOW DO YOU FRAME THIS

CONVERSATION?

IS THIS A CLIMATE CHANGE

CONVERSATION?

IS THIS AN ECONOMIC

CONVERSATION?

IS THIS AN INFRASTRUCTURE

CONVERSATION?

>> IT'S ALL OF THE ABOVE.

AND I WOULD THROW JOBS AND

ENVIRONMENT INTO THE MIX-- MORE

BROADLY THAN JUST CLIMATE

CHANGE.

THERE'S A BROAD RECOGNITION

AMONG POLICY MAKERS THAT UNLESS

YOU PRESERVE THAT FLEET, WE'RE

GOING TO TAKE A SUBSTANTIAL STEP

BACKWARDS.

LET ME GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

IF WE LOST ONE OF THE SMALL

UNITS IN NEW YORK, WE LITERALLY

WIPE OUT ABOUT 10 TO 15 YEARS OF

RENEWABLE DEVELOPMENT IN TERMS

OF ZERO CARBON ENERGY IN NEW

YORK.

THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT TO

PRESERVE THESE MACHINES AS WE

TRANSITION TO OTHER

TECHNOLOGIES.

>> Reporter: WHAT PRESERVED THE

GINNA PLANT IS THE STATE'S GOAL,

SET BY GOVERNOR ANDREW CUOMO, TO

CUT ITS GREENHOUSE GAS

EMISSIONS.

USING THE CARBON DIOXIDE

EMISSION LEVELS OF 1990 AS ITS

BASE, NEW YORK IS HOPING TO CUT

ITS EMISSIONS BY 40% BY 2030 AND

BY 80% BY 2050.

IN ADDITION, THE STATE IS

PLANNING TO GET 50% OF ITS

ENERGY FROM RENEWABLE SOURCES BY

2030.

>> IF THOSE PLANTS WERE TO SHUT

DOWN, IT WOULD BE THE EQUIVALENT

OF ALMOST THREE MILLION CARS,

THAT WOULD BE BACK ON THE ROAD.

>> Reporter: RICHARD KAUFFMAN IS

NEW YORK STATE'S CHAIRMAN OF

ENERGY AND FINANCE.

>> NEW YORK HAS EXPERIENCED

DOZENS OF EXTREME CLIMATE

EVENTS.

NEW YORKERS SEE THAT THE CLIMATE

IS CHANGING.

AND WE'VE, WE SEE THROUGH

POLLING THAT WE HAVE

OVERWHELMING SUPPORT FOR THE

GOVERNOR'S CLEAN ENERGY SUPPORT

POLICIES.

>> Reporter: THE STATE

ESTABLISHED THE "ZERO-EMISSIONS

CREDIT," COMMITTING TO SPEND

ABOUT A BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE

NEXT TWO YEARS TO KEEP GINNA AND

EXELON'S TWO OTHER PLANTS

RUNNING.

THE PROGRAM, WHICH WILL LAST 12

YEARS, REQUIRES NEW YORK UTILITY

COMPANIES TO SOURCE A SHARE OF

THEIR POWER FROM NUCLEAR PLANTS.

THE COSTS FOR DOING SO IS PASSED

ALONG TO CONSUMERS.

SINCE APRIL, ALL NEW YORK STATE

HOUSEHOLDS HAVE SEEN A ROUGHLY

TWO DOLLAR SURCHARGE ON THEIR

MONTHLY ELECTRICITY BILL.

CRITICS WILL ASK, WHY NOT GIVE

THESE CREDITS TO THE RENEWABLE

INDUSTRY?

>> WE ARE PROVIDING SUBSTANTIAL

RESOURCES TO THE GROWTH OF WIND,

AND SOLAR, AND OTHER RENEWABLES

IN THE STATE.

THE ISSUE IS THAT THE NUCLEAR

PLANTS PROVIDE A VERY LARGE

PERCENTAGE OF ZERO EMISSION

POWER IN THE STATE.

IT'S NOT PRACTICABLE TO REPLACE

ALL THAT POWER QUICKLY WITH

RENEWABLES.

>> Reporter: BUT JACKSON MORRIS,

A DIRECTOR WITH THE NATURAL

RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL, OR

N.R.D.C., WARNS THAT RELYING ON

NUCLEAR POWER TO MITIGATE

CLIMATE CHANGE HAS RISKS.

>> UNTIL WE CAN BEGIN TO ADDRESS

THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY

RISKS THAT ARE PRESENTED BY

NUCLEAR WASTE AMONG AND NUCLEAR

PROLIFERATION, ALL THE OTHER

RISKS THAT COME WITH NUCLEAR

ENERGY, IT'S NOT A LONG-TERM

VIABLE SOLUTION.

>> Reporter: AT THE GINNA PLANT,

FOUR DECADES OF RADIOACTIVE,

SPENT FUEL RODS SIT INSIDE THIS

CONCRETE BUNKER RIGHT NEXT TO

THE PLANT.

WHILE THE N.R.D.C. DOES NOT

ENDORSE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF

NUCLEAR POWER, IT BELIEVES IN

SOME CASES, SUCH AS THAT OF NEW

YORK, NUCLEAR HAS A SHORT TERM

ROLE TO PLAY.

>> WE'RE MAKING GREAT STRIDES.

BUT THERE STILL CONTINUES TO BE

A LOT OF MARKET BARRIERS AND

MARKET FAILURES TO THE

RENEWABLES FUTURE THAT WE NEED

TO GET TO.

>> Reporter: AND CAN THEY GET

THERE WITHOUT NUCLEAR?

>> WE CAN.

IT'S NOT THAT NUCLEAR FACILITIES

ARE IRREPLACEABLE.

IT'S THAT YOU NEED TIME TO MAKE

THE TRANSITION.

>> Reporter: WITH ABOUT 46% OF

NEW YORK'S ENERGY SUPPLY COMING

FROM COAL, OIL, AND NATURAL GAS,

FOSSIL FUEL ENERGY PRODUCERS

ARGUE THE STATE'S ZERO EMISSION

CREDITS INTERFERE WITH THE

ENERGY MARKET.

>> WE ARE RUNNING JUST UNDER A

1000 MEGAWATTS RIGHT NOW.

BASICALLY FULL CAPACITY.

>> Reporter: ROBERT FLEXON IS

THE C.E.O. OF DYNEGY, AN ENERGY

COMPANY THAT OPERATES COAL, OIL,

AND NATURAL GAS PLANTS IN 12

STATES INCLUDING NEW YORK.

WHILE THE STATE SAYS IF THE

NUCLEAR PLANTS SHUT DOWN, CARBON

POLLUTING FOSSIL FUELS WILL

REPLACE THEM, FLEXON BELIEVES

THE OPPOSITE-- ARGUING THE HOLE

LEFT BY NUCLEAR WILL BE FILLED

BY RENEWABLES.

>> AT THE END OF THE 12 YEAR

SUBSIDY, WHAT DO YOU HAVE?

YOU'VE GOT SOME REALLY OLD

NUCLEAR UNITS THAT ARE 50 YEARS

OLD THAT NEED TO BE RETIRED.

AND NOW, YOU'RE GOING TO CHARGE

THE CITIZENS AGAIN FOR PUTTING

IN THAT NEXT GENERATION OF POWER

GENERATION, THAT YOU COULD BE

DOING RIGHT NOW.

>> Reporter: BUT IN THE SHORT

TERM, IF THESE THREE PLANTS WERE

TO CLOSE DOWN, THAT CERTAINLY

WOULD BE GOOD FOR YOU FOLKS.

>> WELL, I MEAN, IT'S A

COMPETITIVE MARKET.

AND THE WAY THAT NEW YORK WAS

DESIGNED WAS TO BE THE CHEAPEST

MEGAWATT TO THE CUSTOMER.

THAT'S THE UNIT THAT SHOULD WIN.

BUT IF THEY WERE TO GO AWAY, I

THINK YOU'D SEE A BACKFILL OF

ADDITIONAL RENEWABLE.

YOU'RE ACTUALLY DELAYING THE

INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLES,

BECAUSE RENEWABLES THEN CAN'T

FIND ITS WAY IN, BECAUSE THE

NUCLEAR UNITS ARE GETTING THE

ENTIRE CREDIT AND DEPRESSING THE

WHOLESALE PRICES.

>> Reporter: FLEXON SAYS THAT

CREDITS GIVE AN UNFAIR ADVANTAGE

TO THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY.

>> AND WE'RE ALL FOR

COMPETITION.

WHAT WE'RE TOTALLY AGAINST IS

WHEN YOU PICK WINNERS AND LOSERS

BY PLANT, OR BY LOCATION.

IT SHOULD BE LEVEL PLAYING

FIELD.

AND IF A PARTICULAR STATE, OR

REGION WANTS TO PUT A PRICE ON

CARBON, PUT THE PRICE ON CARBON.

AND LET EVERYBODY COMPETE.

>> Reporter: DYNEGY'S NATURAL

GAS PLANT IN OSWEGO, NEW YORK,

PUMPS OUT ENOUGH ENERGY TO POWER

800,000 HOMES.

THAT'S DOUBLE THE EXELON

OPERATED GINNA NUCLEAR PLANT,

AND DYNEGY'S GAS PLANT DOES IT

WITH A FRACTION OF THE LABOR

FORCE, JUST 15 PEOPLE.

BUT UNLIKE NUCLEAR ENERGY,

BURNING NATURAL GAS RELEASES

CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE

ATMOSPHERE.

>> WE RECOGNIZE THAT CO2 AND

EMISSIONS, AND DOING ANYTHING WE

CAN TO KEEP OUT OF THE AIR, WE

RECOGNIZE THERE'S AN ECONOMIC

COST TO THAT.

AND WE NEED TO COMPETE AGAINST,

AGAINST THAT PENALTY.

>> Reporter: DYNEGY AND OTHERS

SUED NEW YORK TO STOP NEW YORK

STATE'S ZERO-EMISSIONS CREDIT

PROGRAM.

IN JULY, A FEDERAL JUDGE

DISMISSED THE LAWSUIT.

NOW, LIKE NEW YORK, ILLINOIS HAS

ADOPTED A ZERO-EMISSION

CREDITS PROGRAM TO PROLONG THE

LIFE OF ITS NUCLEAR POWER

PLANTS.

STATES LIKE NEW JERSEY,

CONNECTICUT, OHIO, AND

PENNSYLVANIA ARE CONSIDERING

SIMILAR MEASURES.

AS IN NEW YORK, DYNEGY AND OTHER

OIL AND GAS COMPANIES SUED

ILLINOIS.

AND AGAIN THEIR CASE WAS

DISMISSED.

YET, IN BOTH STATES THE N.R.D.C.

DEFENDED THE STATE'S AUTHORITY

TO MAP A CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.

>> THE PARTIES THAT FILED THOSE

CASES WERE ESSENTIALLY A WHO'S

WHO OF THE DIRTIEST, MOST

INEFFICIENT POLLUTING FOSSIL

PLANTS THAT HAD STOOD TO GAIN A

WHOLE LOT OF MONEY IF THOSE

NUCLEAR PLANTS WENT OFFLINE

ABRUPTLY.

IT WAS NOT TO DEFEND THE NUCLEAR

PROGRAMS THEMSELVES.

IT WAS REALLY THAT PRECEDENT AND

THAT STATE AUTHORITY TO CHART A

CLEAN ENERGY FUTURE.

THAT WAS A CRITICAL TOOL.

NOT ONLY FOR NEW YORK AND

ILLINOIS BUT AGAIN, GOING THE

WRONG WAY COULD HAVE JEOPARDIZED

RENEWABLES PROGRAMS ACROSS THE

ENTIRE NATION.

>> Reporter: EVEN WITH THE

INTEREST IN EXTENDING THE LIFE

OF OLD NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS,

CONSTRUCTING NEW REACTORS HAS

SEEN MINIMAL GROWTH.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, IN SOUTH

CAROLINA, UTILITY COMPANIES

PULLED THE PLUG ON TWO PLANNED

REACTORS.

THE PROJECT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS

OVER BUDGET.

LEAVING THESE TWO GEORGIA UNITS

AS THE ONLY ONES IN THE WORKS.

IF COMPLETED, THEY WOULD BE THE

FIRST NEW REACTORS BUILT IN THE

UNITED STATES IN 30 YEARS.

>> Sreenivasan: HUNDREDS OF

MAJORITY BUDDHISTS TODAY

PROTESTED IN MYANMAR OVER

SUGGESTIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT

THAT IT MIGHT TAKE BACK THE

NEARLY 600,000 MINORITY MUSLIMS

WHO HAVE FLED THE COUNTRY.

THE ROHINGYA, AS THEY'RE KNOWN

ARE FLEEING VIOLENCE AGAINST

THEM BY GOVERNMENT SOLDIERS,

WHICH MYANMAR SAYS, BEGAN AS

REPRISALS FOR INSURGENT ATTACKS.

THE UNITED NATIONS CALLS THE

MILITARY CAMPAIGN OF KILLINGS,

MASS RAPE, AND VILLAGE BURNINGS"

A TEXTBOOK EXAMPLE OF ETHNIC

CLEANSING."

EARLIER, I SPOKE WITH FARAH

KABIR OF ACTIONAID, A NON-

GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION

HELPING THE ROHINGYA AT A

REFUGEE CAMP IN THE BANGLADESHI

CITY OF COX'S BAZAR.

I BEGAN BY ASKING KABIR IF SHE'S

EVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS.

>> NEVER IN MY LIFE HAVE I SEEN

SOMETHING LIKE THIS.

IT FELT LIKE THE FIRST TIME

I CAME IT WAS LIKE A SEA OF

PEOPLE.

IT JUST WOULDN'T STOP.

THEY ARE COMING, THEY ARE

COMING, THEY ARE WALKING ON TWO

SIDES OF THE ROAD.

THERE HAS BEEN A SLIGHT DECLINE.

BUT THEY'RE STILL COMING.

>> Sreenivasan: HOW BIG IS THE

NEED THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT?

>> THE NEED HERE IS HUGE.

I MEAN IN TERMS OF COORDINATION

IT WAS QUITE CLEAR AFTER A

COUPLE OF DAYS THAT THERE WAS NO

WAY ANY ONE ORGANIZATION OR ANY,

EVEN A GROUP OF ORGANIZATIONS BY

THEMSELVES COULD TAKE CARE OF

THIS ISSUE.

BECAUSE WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO

PROVIDE FOOD, WATER, LATRINES,

MEDICAL, MORE THAN 60, 70,000

WOMEN WHO WERE PREGNANT.

THERE IS NO WAY.

SO THE INTERSECTIONAL

COORDINATION GROUP WAS FORMED

AND THE ARMY HAS BEEN BROUGHT

IN, BECAUSE IN THE INITIAL FEW

WEEKS THERE WAS TOTAL

MAYHEM, THERE WAS CHAOS.

PEOPLE WERE GIVING FOOD,

CLOTHES, A DIFFERENT POINT

WITHOUT ANY COORDINATION, IT WAS

BEING VERY-- TOTALLY MISMANAGED.

SINCE THEN IT IS MUCH MORE

ORGANIZED.

>> Sreenivasan: CAN YOU

DESCRIBE WHO IS IN THESE CAMPS?

WHAT THEY HAVE GONE THROUGH?

>> A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN

WALKING FOR DAYS.

I MET THE FIRST PERSON I MET,

SHE HAD GIVEN BIRTH THE DAY

BEFORE.

SHE WAS PREGNANT.

SHE WALKED 11 DAYS AND SHE CAME

TO COX'S BAZAR.

THERE WERE YOUNG BOYS WITH

GUNSHOT BURNS, AND THERE IS OF

COURSE A LOT OF WOMEN AND GIRLS

WHO HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY HARASSED,

RAPED, TORTURED.

IT IS SO HEART-WRENCHING IT IS

SO DIFFICULT TO EXPLAIN TO YOU

WHAT IT IS LIKE HERE.

THE SCALE AND THE HORRIFIC

STORIES THAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING

FROM THEM.

>> Sreenivasan: DO THE PEOPLE

THAT YOU ARE TALKING TO

EVERYDAY, DO THEY WANT

TO GO BACK TO MYANMAR?

>> SO WHEN I WAS SPEAKING TO

THEM AT DIFFERENT POINTS, THEY

SAY OF COURSE I WANT TO GO

HOME.

THAT IS WHERE MY HOME IS.

BUT I FOUND SOME OF THEM VERY

CLEARLY ARTICULATING THAT I WANT

TO GO HOME AND BE ABLE TO LIVE

SAFELY.

BECAUSE NOW I FEEL SAFE HERE.

BUT I WANT TO GO HOME, LIVE

SAFELY AND VERY STRONGLY THEY

SAID PRACTICE MY CULTURE AND

RELIGION.

AND THAT IS WHERE THE

INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP NEEDS

TO COME IN.

THE GLOBAL LEADERSHIP, THEY HAVE

TO ENSURE THAT THESE PEOPLE CAN

GO HOME.

NO ONE WANTS TO BE A REFUGEE.

HOWEVER MANY PACKETS OF FOOD YOU

GIVE THEM AND EASY ACCESS TO

WATER, THEY UNDERSTAND THAT

THIS IS NOT LIFE.

I ASKED THEM, ARE YOU WORKING?

WHAT DID YOU DO WHEN YOU WERE

THERE?

SOME HAD THEIR OWN ENTERPRISE,

YOU KNOW, A SMALL SHOP, SOME OF

THEM HAD BUSINESS THERE,

AGRICULTURE, FARMERS, AND THEY

ARE JUST SITTING AROUND, LIVING

ON WHAT WE ARE GETTING AS

RELIEF.

BUT THIS CANNOT BE LIFE.

>>THIS IS PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND,

SUNDAY.

>> Sreenivasan: SERGEANT BOWE

BERGDAHL LEFT HIS POST IN

AFGHANISTAN IN 2009.

TOMORROW THE SENTENCING HEARING

BEGINS IN FRONT OF AN ARMY JUDGE

AT FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA .

BERGDAHL FACES UP TO LIFE IN

PRISON AFTER PLEADING GUILTY

LAST WEEK TO CHARGES OF

DESERTION AND MISBEHAVIOR.

HE SPENT FIVE YEARS AS A CAPTIVE

OF THE TALIBAN.

SERVICEMEMBERS INJURED WHILE

SEARCHING FOR BERGDAHL ARE

EXPECTED TO TESTIFY AT THE

HEARING.

RUSSIA'S MOST PROMINENT

OPPOSITION LEADER, ALEXEI

NAVALNY, IS FREE AFTER FINISHING

A 20 DAY JAIL SENTENCE.

HE WAS JAILED FOR REPEATEDLY

BREAKING LAWS ASSOCIATED WITH

ORGANIZING UNAUTHORIZED PUBLIC

MEETINGS AND RALLIES.

UPON HIS RELEASE, A DEFIANT

NAVALNY SAID ON SOCIAL MEDIA

THAT HE WILL SPEAK AT A

POLITICAL MEETING IN SOUTHERN

RUSSIA LATER TODAY.

NAVALNY PLANS TO RUN FOR

PRESIDENT IN 2018 EVEN THOUGH

RUSSIA'S CENTRAL ELECTION

COMMISSION HAS DECLARED HIM

INELIGIBLE, A RULING HE SAYS WAS

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED.

EVEN AS THE CATALONIA REGION

STRUGGLES TO BREAK AWAY FROM

SPAIN, TWO WEALTHY REGIONS OF

NORTHERN ITALY HELD NON-BINDING

REFERENDA TODAY ON SEEKING

GREATER AUTONOMY FROM THEIR

CENTRAL GOVERNMENT.

VOTERS WENT TO THE POLLS IN

LOMBARDY AND VENETO.

THE REGIONS PRODUCE ALMOST A

THIRD OF ITALY'S GROSS NATIONAL

PRODUCT, AND THEIR COMPLAINT IS

THAT THEY PAY SIGNIFICANTLY MORE

IN TAXES THAN THEY RECEIVE IN

SERVICES.

REGIONAL LEADERS SAY THEY DON'T

SEEK INDEPENDENCE BUT RATHER

MORE AUTHORITY IN EDUCATION AND

OTHER AREAS.

INDONESIA WANTS TO KNOW WHY ITS

TOP MILITARY LEADER WAS DENIED

ENTRY TO THE UNITED STATES THIS

WEEKEND.

OFFICIALS SAY ARMED FORCES BOSS

GENERAL GATOT NURMANTYO WAS TO

BOARD A FLIGHT TO VISIT

WASHINGTON AT THE INVITATION OF

THE CHAIRMAN OF THE U.S. JOINT

CHIEFS WHEN HE WAS TOLD U.S.

CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

WOULD NOT ALLOW HIM TO ENTER THE

COUNTRY.

U.S. OFFICIALS DID NOT GIVE A

REASON AND INDONESIA HAS

DEMANDED AN EXPLANATION FROM THE

STATE DEPARTMENT AND THE U.S.

AMBASSADOR.

HEAR FROM WOMEN IN CALIFORNIA

WHO TRAINED TO FIGHT FIRES WHILE

THEY WERE IN PRISON.

VISIT pbs.org/newshour.

>> Sreenivasan: TOMORROW ON

THE NEWSHOUR ON THE HOME FRONT,

VETERANS INJURED BY WAR STARTING

FAMILIES THANKS TO IN-VITRO

FERTILIZATION.

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS EDITION OF

PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND.

I'M HARI SREENIVASAN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.