Georgia Power customers could see monthly bills rise another $9 to pay for the Vogtle nuclear plant

ATLANTA (AP) — Residential customers of Georgia's largest electrical utility could see their bills rise another $9 a month to pay for a new nuclear power plant under a deal announced Wednesday.

Georgia Power Co. said customers would pay $7.56 billion more for Plant Vogtle construction costs under the agreement with utility regulatory staff.

The Georgia Public Service Commission's five elected commissioners must approve any deal, but such agreements are typically persuasive. With the commission's Public Interest Advocacy staff and three leading ratepayer groups signing on, the agreement is likely to avert contentious hearings over how much blame the company should bear for billions in cost overruns at two new nuclear reactors southeast of Augusta.

Vogtle's Unit 3 and Unit 4 are the first new American reactors built from scratch in decades. Each reactor can power 500,000 homes and businesses without releasing any carbon. But even as government officials and some utilities are again looking to nuclear power to alleviate climate change, the cost of Vogtle could discourage utilities from pursuing nuclear power.