XML 1143 R82.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Common Stock and Stock Compensation - Textual (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Employee
Dec. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2010
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, Southern Investment Plan and employee and director stock plans 12,100,000 21,900,000  
Stock Issued During Period, Value, Southern Investment Plan and employee and director stock plans $ 397,000,000 $ 723,000,000  
Stock Repurchased From Stock Option Exercised 9,000,000    
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value 430,000,000    
Share-based compensation arrangement by Share-based payment award, number of shares reserved for issuance, pursuant to Stock-based compensation plan 130,000,000    
Number of employees participating in stock option program 6,026    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options outstanding 6 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options exercisable 5 years    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding 243,000,000    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options exercisable 199,000,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 8,000,000    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 23,000,000 22,000,000 22,000,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 9,000,000 8,000,000 9,000,000
Total intrinsic value of options exercised 162,000,000 155,000,000 57,000,000
Actual tax benefit for the tax deduction from stock option exercised 62,000,000 60,000,000 22,000,000
Cash received from issuance related to option exercise 397,000,000 528,000,000 198,000,000
Minimum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 0.00%    
Maximum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 200.00%    
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.90% 2.30% 2.40%
Diluted Earnings Per Share [Abstract]      
Assumed average stock price $ 47.89 $ 42.67  
Undistributed retained earnings of the subsidiaries 6,400,000,000    
Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Option expiration period from date of grant 10 years    
Performance Share Plan [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 33,000,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 28,000,000 18,000,000 9,000,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 11,000,000 7,000,000 4,000,000
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.40% 1.40% 1.40%
Performance share units, unvested 1,633,156 1,719,598  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 1,137,817    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 43.05    
Performance share units, granted 842,447    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 842,710    
Performance unit shares, forfeited 86,179    
Georgia Power [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Number of employees participating in stock option program 1,402    
Remaining shares available for awards 39,000,000    
Option expiration period from date of grant 10 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options outstanding 6 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options exercisable 5 years    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding 45,000,000    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options exercisable 37,000,000    
Total intrinsic value of options exercised 34,000,000 32,000,000 12,000,000
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Minimum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 0.00%    
Maximum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 200.00%    
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.90% 2.30% 2.40%
Georgia Power [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Performance share units, unvested 280,000 325,958  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 242,938    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 43.05    
Performance share units, granted 152,812    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 179,917    
Performance unit shares, forfeited 18,853    
Georgia Power [Member] | Performance Share Plan [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.40% 1.40% 1.40%
Alabama Power [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Number of employees participating in stock option program 1,057    
Remaining shares available for awards 39,000,000    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options outstanding 6 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options exercisable 5 years    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding 43,000,000    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options exercisable 35,000,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 1,000,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 4,000,000 3,000,000 3,000,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 1,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Total intrinsic value of options exercised 28,000,000 23,000,000 12,000,000
Actual tax benefit for the tax deduction from stock option exercised 11,000,000 9,000,000 4,000,000
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.90% 2.30% 2.40%
Alabama Power [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 5,000,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 5,000,000 3,000,000 1,000,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 2,000,000 1,000,000 1,000,000
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Minimum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 0.00%    
Maximum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 200.00%    
Performance share units, unvested 280,536 287,720  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 180,997    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 43.05    
Performance share units, granted 131,820    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 134,054    
Performance unit shares, forfeited 4,950    
Alabama Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Option expiration period from date of grant 10 years    
Alabama Power [Member] | Performance Share Plan [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.40% 1.40% 1.40%
Gulf Power [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Number of employees participating in stock option program 218    
Option expiration period from date of grant 10 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options outstanding 6 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options exercisable 5 years    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding 9,700,000    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options exercisable 7,800,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 300,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 700,000 700,000 800,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 300,000 300,000 300,000
Total intrinsic value of options exercised 3,800,000 3,200,000 1,600,000
Actual tax benefit for the tax deduction from stock option exercised 1,500,000 1,200,000 600,000
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Minimum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 0.00%    
Maximum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 200.00%    
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.90% 2.30% 2.40%
Gulf Power [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 1,000,000    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 1,000,000 700,000 300,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 400,000 300,000 100,000
Gulf Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Gulf Power [Member] | Performance Share Plan [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.40% 1.40% 1.40%
Performance share units, unvested 68,805 66,662  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 36,105    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 43.05    
Performance share units, granted 29,444    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 26,738    
Performance unit shares, forfeited 563    
Mississippi Power [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Mississippi Power [Member] | Performance Shares [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 1,400,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 1,200,000 700,000 300,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 400,000 300,000 100,000
Vesting period of performance share units issued under Performance Share Plan 3 years    
Minimum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 0.00%    
Maximum Percentage of transfer performance shares to common stock based on actual Total Shareholder Return 200.00%    
Performance share units, unvested 68,486 70,830  
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number 43,481    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Weighted Average Exercise Price $ 43.05    
Performance share units, granted 33,077    
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Equity Instruments Other than Options, Vested in Period 32,208    
Performance unit shares, forfeited 3,213    
Mississippi Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Number of employees participating in stock option program 241    
Remaining shares available for awards 39,000,000    
Option expiration period from date of grant 10 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options outstanding 6 years    
Weighted average remaining contractual term for options exercisable 5 years    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options outstanding 9,300,000    
Aggregate intrinsic value for options exercisable 7,700,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award 300,000    
Total unrecognized compensation cost related to award, weighted average period 11 months    
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income 900,000 800,000 800,000
Total compensation cost for award recognized in income, tax benefit 300,000 300,000 300,000
Total intrinsic value of options exercised 4,900,000 4,200,000 2,700,000
Actual tax benefit for the tax deduction from stock option exercised $ 1,900,000 $ 1,600,000 $ 1,000,000
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.90% 2.30% 2.40%
Mississippi Power [Member] | Performance Share Plan [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Risk-free rate based on the U.S Treasury yield curve 0.40% 1.40% 1.40%
Southern Company Common Stock [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Remaining shares available for awards 39,000,000    
Southern Company Common Stock [Member] | Gulf Power [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Remaining shares available for awards 39,000,000    
Maximum [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Exercisable Period 3 years    
Maximum [Member] | Georgia Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Exercisable Period 3 years    
Maximum [Member] | Alabama Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Exercisable Period 3 years    
Maximum [Member] | Gulf Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Exercisable Period 3 years    
Maximum [Member] | Mississippi Power [Member] | Stock Options [Member]
     
Share-based Compensation [Abstract]      
Share Based Compensation Arrangement by Share Based Payment Award Exercisable Period 3 years