Introduction (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Schedule of Asset Retirement Obligations

As of September 30, 2016, details of the AROs included in the registrants' Condensed Balance Sheets were as follows:

	Southern Company			Alabama Power			Georgia Power			Gulf Power		Mississippi Power			Southern Power
	(in millions)
Balance at beginning of year	$	3,759		$	1,448		$	1,916		$	130	$	177		$	21
Liabilities incurred	41			5			—			—		15			18
Liabilities settled	(117		)	(12		)	(93		)	—		(12		)	—
Accretion	119			55			56			2		3			1
Cash flow revisions	712			31			675			2		7			—
Balance at end of period	$	4,514		$	1,527		$	2,554		$	134	$	190		$	40

Schedule of Goodwill

As of September 30, 2016, goodwill was as follows:

	As of September 30, 2016
	(in millions)
Southern Company	$	6,223
Southern Power	$	2

Schedule of Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

As of September 30, 2016, other intangible assets were as follows:

		As of September 30, 2016
	Estimated Useful Life	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Other Intangible Assets, Net
		(in millions)
Southern Company
Other intangible assets subject to amortization:
Customer relationships	11-26 years	$	268	$	(16	)	$	252
Trade names	5-28 years	158		(3		)	155
Patents	3-10 years	4		—			4
Backlog	5 years	5		—			5
Storage and transportation contracts	1-5 years	64		(4		)	60
Software and other	1-12 years	2		—			2
PPA fair value adjustments	19-20 years	405		(16		)	389
Total other intangible assets subject to amortization		$	906	$	(39	)	$	867
Other intangible assets not subject to amortization:
Federal Communications Commission licenses		$	75	$	—		$	75
Total other intangible assets		$	981	$	(39	)	$	942
Southern Power
Other intangible assets subject to amortization:
PPA fair value adjustments	19-20 years	$	405	$	(16	)	$	389

Finite-lived Intangible Assets Amortization Expense

Amortization associated with other intangible assets was as follows:

	Three Months Ended		Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2016
	(in millions)
Southern Company	$	25	$	27
Southern Power	$	2	$	4