NATCHEZ — The Miss-Lou could soon feel ripple effects from up the river as Grand Gulf Nuclear Generation Station works toward major expansion.

The Port Gibson facility expansion will provide construction and other jobs for up to 4,000 people.

Construction should begin in the first quarter of the New Year and be completed sometime in 2012, said Grand Gulf communication specialist, Suzanne Anderson.

The project will be one of the largest expansions of a nuclear power plant in U.S. history and will make Grand Gulf the largest single-unit nuclear power plant in the country, a Grand Gulf press release says.

The total cost of the expansion, $724 million, will be shared among the joint owners of Grand Gulf, including Entergy Mississippi and the South Mississippi Electric Power Association, Anderson said.

“Certainly Natchez and the surrounding area will feel a positive economic impact from the project here at Grand Gulf,” Anderson said.

Natchez Inc. Executive Director Chandler Russ agreed.

“Anytime anybody is spending nearly $800 million, it’s is tremendous,” Russ said. “It truly is a regional project.”

With the influx of workers, enough to keep work going around the clock, the Miss-Lou could become a temporary home base for employees.

Russ said the majority of the contractors at Grand Gulf would likely have a work schedule in which they work for a number consecutive days and have a number of days off, similar to an oil field schedule.

Hotels and motels along U.S. 61, including Natchez and Vicksburg will likely be options for lodging for those workers.

“The benefit of having those contractors in the area for an extended period of time will definitely have a tremendous spillover in Natchez and Adams County,” Russ said.

He said Natchez Inc. would work with Entergy and the general managing group overseeing construction to make them aware of the availability in local hotels.

Russ said Entergy has contracted with the Baton Rouge-based Shaw Group to manage the project and provide plant modifications.

Individuals and vendors looking for jobs and are interested in becoming involved with the expansion project should contact Shaw, Russ said.

“(I’m) truly excited about (the project),” he said.

The construction work, which will include replacing and updating several features of the plant, will allow it to produce 13 percent more power and add 178 megawatts.

The increase will be enough to power approximately 53,000 typical Mississippi houses. The company currently provides electricity to more than 433,000 customers in 45 counties.

Grand Gulf employs 700 people during normal operation, Anderson said.

During construction, Grand Gulf operations will be suspended, but the 700 employees will remain on staff fulfilling different roles than they would when the plant generates power.

Anderson said most of the work will be accomplished during regularly scheduled refueling and a maintenance outage, which occurs every two years.

Nuclear power from Grand Gulf provides electricity for 23 percent of residents and business in the state, including those in Natchez.

Entergy is currently the second-largest nuclear generator in the United States.

Vendors, such as those that provide food services or electrical services, can contact Shaw at 855-690-7429 or go to www.shawgrp.com/suppliers.

Individuals can contact Shaw about jobs hrQuestions@shawgrp.com or by calling at 866-760-7429.