Georgia Power announced Monday that Unit 4 at Plant Vogtle has entered commercial operation, producing enough electricity to power approximately 500,000 homes and businesses throughout Georgia. 

Vogtle Unit 3 entered commercial operation on July 31. With all four units now in operation, Plant Vogtle is expected to produce more than 30 million megawatt hours of electricity each year, according to a news release.

“The new Vogtle units are a key piece of our strategy to meet the energy needs of our customers not only tomorrow, but 20 years from now,” said Kim Greene, chairman, president and CEO of Georgia Power in a news release. “… I’m also proud of the teams who have worked tirelessly to deliver the first newly constructed nuclear units in the U.S. in more than 30 years – representing a long-term investment that will benefit our customers and the state of Georgia for decades to come.”

The nuclear expansion project at Plant Vogtle was originally scheduled to conclude in 2016 and 2017. The project encountered a series of delays that drove up the cost to more than double the $14 billion anticipated when the Georgia PSC approved the reactor construction in 2009.

Previously: Plant Vogtle Unit 4 nuclear reactor reaches 100% power, says Georgia Power

The Public Service Commission voted late last year to let Georgia Power pass on to customers almost $7.6 billion of the project’s costs, which caused an increase in the average monthly residential customer’s bill by $8.95, according to reporting from Capitol Beat.

The plant is operated by Southern Nuclear on behalf of co-owners Georgia Power, Oglethorpe Power, MEAG Power and Dalton Utilities. 

Nuclear energy provided more than 25% of Georgia Power’s generation, including Plant Vogtle and Plant Hatch in Baxley, Georgia, said executives.

In addition to the 800 permanent jobs created by the two new reactors, the nuclear expansion at Plant Vogtle employed more than 9,000 construction workers at the peak of the project, including engineers, welders, electricians, pipefitters, and plumbers, according to Georgia Power. 

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Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.