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Fair Value Measurements
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS
As of June 30, 2016, assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis during the period, together with their associated level of the fair value hierarchy, were as follows:
 
Fair Value Measurements Using
 
 
As of June 30, 2016:
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
 
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
Net Asset Value as a Practical Expedient (NAV)
 
Total
 
(in millions)
Southern Company
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
36

 
$

 
$

 
$
36

Interest rate derivatives

 
27

 

 

 
27

Nuclear decommissioning trusts(a)
642

 
917

 

 
18

 
1,577

Cash equivalents
1,014

 

 

 

 
1,014

Other investments
9

 

 
1

 

 
10

Total
$
1,665

 
$
980

 
$
1

 
$
18

 
$
2,664

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
110

 
$

 
$

 
$
110

Interest rate derivatives

 
7

 

 

 
7

Foreign currency derivatives

 
38

 

 

 
38

Total
$

 
$
155

 
$

 
$

 
$
155

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Alabama Power
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
10

 
$

 
$

 
$
10

Nuclear decommissioning trusts(b)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Domestic equity
363

 
67

 

 

 
430

Foreign equity
46

 
47

 

 

 
93

U.S. Treasury and government agency securities

 
24

 

 

 
24

Corporate bonds
21

 
142

 

 

 
163

Mortgage and asset backed securities

 
22

 

 

 
22

Private Equity

 

 

 
18

 
18

Other

 
8

 

 

 
8

Cash equivalents
210

 

 

 

 
210

Total
$
640

 
$
320

 
$

 
$
18

 
$
978

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
22

 
$

 
$

 
$
22

 
Fair Value Measurements Using
 
 
As of June 30, 2016:
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
 
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
Net Asset Value as a Practical Expedient (NAV)
 
Total
 
(in millions)
Georgia Power
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
15

 
$

 
$

 
$
15

Interest rate derivatives

 
14

 

 

 
14

Nuclear decommissioning trusts(b) (c)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Domestic equity
187

 
1

 

 

 
188

Foreign equity

 
116

 

 

 
116

U.S. Treasury and government agency securities

 
109

 

 

 
109

Municipal bonds

 
57

 

 

 
57

Corporate bonds

 
159

 

 

 
159

Mortgage and asset backed securities

 
159

 

 

 
159

Other
25

 
6

 

 

 
31

Cash equivalents
90

 

 

 

 
90

Total
$
302

 
$
636

 
$

 
$

 
$
938

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
5

 
$

 
$

 
$
5

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Gulf Power
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
2

 
$

 
$

 
$
2

Cash equivalents
20

 

 

 

 
20

Total
$
20

 
$
2

 
$

 
$

 
$
22

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
55

 
$

 
$

 
$
55

Interest rate derivatives

 
7

 

 

 
7

Total
$

 
$
62

 
$

 
$

 
$
62

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mississippi Power
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
1

 
$

 
$

 
$
1

Cash equivalents
102

 

 

 

 
102

Total
$
102

 
$
1

 
$

 
$

 
$
103

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
23

 
$

 
$

 
$
23

 
Fair Value Measurements Using
 
 
As of June 30, 2016:
Quoted Prices
in Active
Markets for
Identical
Assets
(Level 1)
 
Significant
Other
Observable
Inputs
(Level 2)
 
Significant
Unobservable
Inputs
(Level 3)
 
Net Asset Value as a Practical Expedient (NAV)
 
Total
 
(in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Southern Power
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
8

 
$

 
$

 
$
8

Cash equivalents
449

 

 

 

 
449

Total
$
449

 
$
8

 
$

 
$

 
$
457

Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Energy-related derivatives
$

 
$
5

 
$

 
$

 
$
5

Foreign currency derivatives

 
38

 

 

 
38

Total
$

 
$
43

 
$

 
$

 
$
43

(a)
For additional detail, see the nuclear decommissioning trusts sections for Alabama Power and Georgia Power in this table.
(b)
Excludes receivables related to investment income, pending investment sales, payables related to pending investment purchases, and currencies.
(c)
Includes the investment securities pledged to creditors and collateral received and excludes payables related to the securities lending program. As of June 30, 2016, approximately $46 million of the fair market value of Georgia Power's nuclear decommissioning trust funds' securities were on loan to creditors under the funds' managers' securities lending program.
Southern Company, Alabama Power, and Georgia Power continue to elect the option to fair value investment securities held in the nuclear decommissioning trust funds. The fair value of the funds at Southern Company, including reinvested interest and dividends and excluding the funds' expenses, increased by $28 million and $48 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, and decreased by $1 million and increased by $31 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015. Alabama Power recorded an increase in fair value of $29 million and $40 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 and $5 million and $19 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 as a change in regulatory liabilities related to its AROs. Georgia Power recorded a decrease in fair value of $1 million and an increase of $8 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 and a decrease in fair value of $6 million and an increase in fair value of $12 million, respectively, for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015 as a change in its regulatory asset related to its AROs.
Valuation Methodologies
The energy-related derivatives primarily consist of over-the-counter financial products for natural gas and physical power products, including, from time to time, basis swaps. These are standard products used within the energy industry and are valued using the market approach. The inputs used are mainly from observable market sources, such as forward natural gas prices, power prices, implied volatility, and overnight index swap interest rates. Interest rate derivatives are also standard over-the-counter products that are valued using observable market data and assumptions commonly used by market participants. The fair value of interest rate derivatives reflect the net present value of expected payments and receipts under the swap agreement based on the market's expectation of future interest rates. Additional inputs to the net present value calculation may include the contract terms, counterparty credit risk, and occasionally, implied volatility of interest rate options. The fair value of cross-currency swaps reflect the net present value of expected payments and receipts under the swap agreement based on the market's expectation of future foreign currency exchange rates. Additional inputs to the net present value calculation may include the contract terms, counterparty credit risk, and discount rates. The interest rate derivatives and cross-currency swaps are categorized as Level 2 under Fair Value Measurements as these inputs are based on observable data and valuations of similar instruments. See Note (H) for additional information on how these derivatives are used.
The NRC requires licensees of commissioned nuclear power reactors to establish a plan for providing reasonable assurance of funds for future decommissioning. For fair value measurements of the investments within the nuclear decommissioning trusts, external pricing vendors are designated for each asset class with each security specifically assigned a primary pricing source. For investments held within commingled funds, fair value is determined at the end of each business day through the net asset value, which is established by obtaining the underlying securities' individual prices from the primary pricing source. A market price secured from the primary source vendor is then evaluated by management in its valuation of the assets within the trusts. As a general approach, fixed income market pricing vendors gather market data (including indices and market research reports) and integrate relative credit information, observed market movements, and sector news into proprietary pricing models, pricing systems, and mathematical tools. Dealer quotes and other market information, including live trading levels and pricing analysts' judgments, are also obtained when available. See Note 1 to the financial statements of Southern Company, Alabama Power, and Georgia Power under "Nuclear Decommissioning" in Item 8 of the Form 10-K for additional information.
"Other investments" include investments that are not traded in the open market. The fair value of these investments have been determined based on market factors including comparable multiples and the expectations regarding cash flows and business plan executions.
As of June 30, 2016, the fair value measurements of private equity investments held in the nuclear decommissioning trust that are calculated at net asset value per share (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient, as well as the nature and risks of those investments, were as follows:
As of June 30, 2016:
Fair
Value
 
Unfunded
Commitments
 
Redemption
Frequency
 
Redemption
Notice Period
 
(in millions)
 
 
 
 
Southern Company
$
18

 
$
28

 
Not Applicable
 
Not Applicable
Alabama Power
$
18

 
$
28

 
Not Applicable
 
Not Applicable

Private equity funds include a fund-of-funds that invests in high-quality private equity funds across several market sectors, a fund that invests in real estate assets, and a fund that acquires companies to create resale value. Private equity funds do not have redemption rights. Distributions from these funds will be received as the underlying investments in the funds are liquidated. Liquidations are expected to occur at various times over the next ten years.
As of June 30, 2016, other financial instruments for which the carrying amount did not equal fair value were as follows:
 
Carrying
Amount
 
Fair
Value
 
(in millions)
Long-term debt, including securities due within one year:
 
 
 
Southern Company
$
37,953

 
$
40,992

Alabama Power
$
7,090

 
$
7,940

Georgia Power
$
10,603

 
$
11,881

Gulf Power
$
1,182

 
$
1,275

Mississippi Power
$
2,983

 
$
2,967

Southern Power
$
4,332

 
$
4,523


The fair values are determined using Level 2 measurements and are based on quoted market prices for the same or similar issues or on the current rates available to the registrants.