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Your monthly electric bill could be going up

ATLANTA — Both sides in a dispute over the future of a multibillion-dollar nuclear power plant now have until 5 p.m. Wednesday to come to an agreement, or construction could come to a halt.

Either way, it could cost you even more for electricity.

Georgia's governor wanted the project to move forward.

State lawmakers wanted it to move forward too, but not without some concessions from Georgia Power.

Nuclear power Plant Vogtle's Units Three and Four are among the biggest construction projects in Georgia history, a project that is already years behind schedule and billions of dollars over budget.

Just last month, Georgia Power announced another $2 billion cost overrun, triggering a vote from the plant's co-owners.

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Three co-owners voted to keep the project moving forward. Oglethorpe Power said, maybe.

Channel 2's Richard Elliot emailed both sides to see if they'd go on camera. He received competing news releases instead.

Facing such a cost overrun, Oglethorpe Power said it could vote to continue the project, but only if it got certain concessions from Georgia Power, including a cost cap.

Georgia Power called that request an "unreasonable concession."

Georgia politicians weighed in on the debate as well. Gov. Nathan Deal supports the project and the jobs it would create.

In a text message Elliot received from his office Tuesday morning, Deal said,

"I also call upon Oglethorpe Power Company to reconsider its decision before walking away from seven thousand jobs."

Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson joined Deal and said, "I encourage all parties to come together and find a way forward on an agreement to complete this critical project."

But other state lawmakers aren't so keen on the cost overruns.

Channel 2 Action News obtained a letter to Vogtle's owners signed by several legislators expressing their concerns about cost overruns and the impact they could have on EMC's around Georgia.

They also asked for a cost cap and for Georgia Power to shoulder more of the financial burden.

Channel 2 Action News is closely following this story. We'll let you know when a decision is reached.