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Derivatives - Energy-Related, Interest Rate, and Foreign Currency Derivatives Information (Details)
 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Fair Value Hedging [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Power [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Gas [Member]
MMBTU
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Received [Member]
Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Rate Paid [Member]
Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Southern Power [Member]
Gas [Member]
MMBTU
Dec. 31, 2012
Southern Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Southern Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Southern Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Southern Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Mississippi Power [Member]
USD ($)
MMBTU
Dec. 31, 2011
Mississippi Power [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Mississippi Power [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Mississippi Power [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Mississippi Power [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Mississippi Power [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Mississippi Power [Member]
Foreign Exchange Forward [Member]
Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Fair value hedges of firm commitments [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Mississippi Power [Member]
Foreign Exchange Forward [Member]
Fair Value Hedging [Member]
Fair value hedges of firm commitments [Member]
EUR (€)
Dec. 31, 2012
Gulf Power [Member]
MMBTU
Dec. 31, 2012
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Alabama Power [Member]
USD ($)
MMBTU
Dec. 31, 2011
Alabama Power [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Alabama Power [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Alabama Power [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Alabama Power [Member]
Hedge Maturity Date January 2022 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Alabama Power [Member]
Hedge Maturity Date December 2022 [Member]
Dec. 31, 2012
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Southern Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Southern Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Mississippi Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Mississippi Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Alabama Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other deferred charges and assets [Member]
Alabama Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Mississippi Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Mississippi Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Mississippi Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Mississippi Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Gulf Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Derivatives not designated as hedges [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Current Assets [Member]
Alabama Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2011
Other Current Assets [Member]
Alabama Power [Member]
Energy Related Derivative [Member]
Hedging Instruments for Regulatory Purposes [Member]
USD ($)
Derivative [Line Items]                                                                                                                          
Derivative Asset, Fair Value, Gross Asset $ 36,000,000 $ 29,000,000 $ 23,000,000 $ 14,000,000 $ 3,000,000 $ 2,000,000             $ 2,100,000 $ 600,000 $ 2,100,000 $ 600,000 $ 2,519,000 $ 1,688,000 $ 2,519,000 $ 162,000 $ 0 $ 1,507,000       $ 4,358,000 $ 198,000 $ 4,358,000 $ 198,000 $ 5,000,000 $ 0 $ 5,000,000 $ 0     $ 13,000,000 $ 5,000,000 $ 2,000,000 $ 0 $ 1,700,000 $ 400,000 $ 1,881,000 $ 37,000 $ 3,065,000 $ 44,000 $ 3,000,000 $ 0 $ 10,000,000 $ 9,000,000 $ 1,000,000 $ 0 $ 638,000 $ 125,000 $ 0 $ 0 $ 1,293,000 $ 154,000 $ 0 $ 0 $ 2,000,000 $ 0
Energy-related derivative contracts                                                                                                                          
Net Purchased mmBtu                 276,000,000 [1]     5,000,000         38,000,000 [2]               70,510,000 [2]         57,000,000 [3]                                                              
Longest Hedge Date               2017                 2017               2017         2017                                                              
Longest Non-Hedge Date               2017       2017                                                                                                  
Notional amount of interest rate derivatives                                                                                                                          
Notional Amount, Fair Value 350,000,000                                                                                                                        
Interest Rate Received                     3-month LIBOR [4]                                                                                                    
Interest Rate Received                   4.15%                                                                                                      
Interest Rate Paid                                                                   2.22% 2.90%                                                    
Derivative, Maturity Date             May 01, 2014                                                                                                            
Interest Rate Paid                     3-month LIBOR + 1.96% spread [4]                                                                                                    
Interest Rate Paid                     1.96% [4]           2.66%                                                                                        
Fair Value Gain (Loss) Dec 31, 2011             10,000,000                                                                                                            
Notional Amount                                               735,000                                                                          
Forward Rate                                             1.3758                                                                            
Hedge Maturity Date                                             March 2014 March 2014                                                                          
Fair Value Gain (Loss) Dec. 31, 2011                                             $ (37,000)                                                                            
[1] *million British thermal units
[2] *mmBtu — million British thermal units
[3] *mmBtu – million British thermal units
[4] *Weighted Average