Plant Vogtle's Nuclear Rebirth: 7 Years Late and $17B Over Budget.

The first new nuclear reactor at Georgia Power's Plant Vogtle is seven years late and $17 billion over budget, making it possibly the most expensive power plant ever. Despite the setbacks, Georgia Power and its parent company, Southern Co., say the reactors are a triumph and will benefit the utility's 2.7 million customers for decades. However, critics argue that the electricity generated by Vogtle will never be cheaper than other sources Georgia Power could have chosen, and that customers should not foot the bill for management failures. Nevertheless, some believe that the United States cannot achieve carbon-free electricity without nuclear power, and a multinational partnership is seeking to build scaled-down reactors designed by General Electric and Hitachi.