Retirement Benefits

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2011

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

RETIREMENT BENEFITS

(F) RETIREMENT BENEFITS

Southern Company has a defined benefit, trusteed, pension plan covering substantially all employees. The qualified pension plan is funded in accordance with requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA). No contributions to the qualified pension plan are expected for the year ending December 31, 2011. Southern Company also provides certain defined benefit pension plans for a selected group of management and highly compensated employees. Benefits under these non-qualified pension plans are funded on a cash basis. In addition, Southern Company provides certain medical care and life insurance benefits for retired employees through other postretirement benefit plans. The traditional operating companies fund related other postretirement trusts to the extent required by their respective regulatory commissions.

See Note 2 to the financial statements of Southern Company, Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power in Item 8 of the Form 10-K for additional information.

Components of the net periodic benefit costs for the three and six months ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 were as follows:

	Southern			Alabama			Georgia			Gulf			Mississippi
Pension Plans	Company			Power			Power			Power			Power
	(in millions)
Three Months Ended June 30, 2011
Service cost	$	46		$	10		$	15		$	2		$	2
Interest cost		97			24			36			5			5
Expected return on plan assets		(152	)		(43	)		(58	)		(7	)		(6	)
Net amortization		13			4			4			—			—
Net cost (income)	$	4		$	(5	)	$	(3	)	$	—		$	1
Six Months Ended June 30, 2011
Service cost	$	92		$	21		$	29		$	4		$	4
Interest cost		195			48			72			9			9
Expected return on plan assets		(304	)		(86	)		(117	)		(14	)		(12	)
Net amortization		26			7			9			1			1
Net cost (income)	$	9		$	(10	)	$	(7	)	$	—		$	2
Three Months Ended June 30, 2010
Service cost	$	43		$	11		$	13		$	2		$	2
Interest cost		97			24			37			4			5
Expected return on plan assets		(137	)		(42	)		(55	)		(6	)		(6	)
Net amortization		10			2			3			—			—
Net cost (income)	$	13		$	(5	)	$	(2	)	$	—		$	1
Six Months Ended June 30, 2010
Service cost	$	86		$	21		$	27		$	4		$	4
Interest cost		195			48			73			8			9
Expected return on plan assets		(275	)		(84	)		(110	)		(12	)		(11	)
Net amortization		21			5			7			1			1
Net cost (income)	$	27		$	(10	)	$	(3	)	$	1		$	3

	Southern			Alabama			Georgia			Gulf			Mississippi
Postretirement Benefits	Company			Power			Power			Power			Power
	(in millions)
Three Months Ended June 30, 2011
Service cost	$	5		$	2		$	2		$	1		$	1
Interest cost		23			6			10			1			1
Expected return on plan assets		(16	)		(7	)		(7	)		(1	)		(1	)
Net amortization		5			1			2			—			—
Net cost (income)	$	17		$	2		$	7		$	1		$	1
Six Months Ended June 30, 2011
Service cost	$	10		$	3		$	4		$	1		$	1
Interest cost		46			12			20			2			2
Expected return on plan assets		(32	)		(13	)		(15	)		(1	)		(1	)
Net amortization		10			3			5			—			—
Net cost (income)	$	34		$	5		$	14		$	2		$	2
Three Months Ended June 30, 2010
Service cost	$	7		$	1		$	2		$	1		$	1
Interest cost		25			7			11			1			1
Expected return on plan assets		(16	)		(6	)		(7	)		(1	)		(1	)
Net amortization		5			1			3			—			—
Net cost (income)	$	21		$	3		$	9		$	1		$	1
Six Months Ended June 30, 2010
Service cost	$	13		$	3		$	4		$	1		$	1
Interest cost		50			13			22			2			2
Expected return on plan assets		(32	)		(12	)		(15	)		(1	)		(1	)
Net amortization		10			3			6			—			—
Net cost (income)	$	41		$	7		$	17		$	2		$	2