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ATLANTA (AP) -- Georgia Power is hiking electricity bills for its 2.4 million customers in the New Year.

The bill for an average residential household will rise more than $14 as the power company hikes its rates and charges new fees for a nuclear construction project.

Members of the Public Service Commission voted earlier this month to allow the power company to make one of its sharpest rate increases in recent years. Georgia Power executives said it was necessary to compensate for falling revenues and upgrade power plants to comply with environmental rules.

Separately, Georgia's state government is allowing the company to charge its customers for the finance costs of building two nuclear reactors near Waynesboro. The reactors have not received final federal approval.

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