Consolidated Statements of Capitalization (USD $)			12 Months Ended																12 Months Ended																				12 Months Ended																12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended										12 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable rate, Due 2017 through 2049	Dec. 31, 2010 Variable rate, Due 2017 through 2049	Dec. 31, 2011 2018 through 2049	Dec. 31, 2010 2018 through 2049	Dec. 31, 2011 2016	Dec. 31, 2010 2016	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable rate, Due 2011	Dec. 31, 2010 Variable rate, Due 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable rate, Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2010 Variable rate, Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable rate, Due 2015	Dec. 31, 2010 Variable rate, Due 2015	Dec. 31, 2011 Variable rate due 2042	Dec. 31, 2010 Variable rate due 2042	Dec. 31, 2011 2044	Dec. 31, 2010 2044	Dec. 31, 2011 2016 through 2048	Dec. 31, 2010 2016 through 2048	Dec. 31, 2011 2021	Dec. 31, 2010 2021	Dec. 31, 2011 Redeemable Preferred Stock, $1 par value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Redeemable Preferred Stock, $1 par value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Redeemable Preferred Stock, $100 par or stated value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Redeemable Preferred Stock, $100 par or stated value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Preference Stock , $100 par or stated value	Dec. 31, 2010 Preference Stock , $100 par or stated value	Dec. 31, 2011 Preference Stock, $1 par value	Dec. 31, 2010 Preference Stock, $1 par value	Dec. 31, 2011 Noncumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Noncumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Adjustable Rate Loans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Adjustable Rate Loans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Adjustable Rate Loans [Member] 2040	Dec. 31, 2010 Adjustable Rate Loans [Member] 2040	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member] 2030-2038	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member] 2030-2038	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2017-2038	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2017-2038	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2015	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2015	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member] Variable rate due 2042	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member] Variable rate due 2042	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock, $1 par value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock, $1 par value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Alabama Power [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock, $100 par or stated value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Alabama Power [Member] Redeemable Preferred Stock, $100 par or stated value Cumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] 2016	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] 2016	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] 2018-2048	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] 2018-2048	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2011	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2011	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2016	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2018-2049	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] Variable rate, Due 2018-2049	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] Noncumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] Noncumulative Preferred Stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] Noncumulative Preferred Stock, $25 par value	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] Noncumulative Preferred Stock, $25 par value	Dec. 31, 2011 Georgia Power [Member] Noncumulative Preferred Stock, $100 par value	Dec. 31, 2010 Georgia Power [Member] Noncumulative Preferred Stock, $100 par value	Dec. 31, 2011 Gulf Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Gulf Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Gulf Power [Member] 2022 - 2049	Dec. 31, 2010 Gulf Power [Member] 2022 - 2049	Dec. 31, 2011 Gulf Power [Member] Variable Rate, Due 2022-2039	Dec. 31, 2010 Gulf Power [Member] Variable Rate, Due 2022-2039	Dec. 31, 2011 Gulf Power [Member] 6% Preference stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Gulf Power [Member] 6% Preference stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Gulf Power [Member] 6.45 % Preference stock	Dec. 31, 2010 Gulf Power [Member] 6.45 % Preference stock	Dec. 31, 2011 Mississippi Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Mississippi Power [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Mississippi Power [Member] Variable Rate, Due 2020-2028	Dec. 31, 2010 Mississippi Power [Member] Variable Rate, Due 2020-2028	Dec. 31, 2011 Mississippi Power [Member] 2028	Dec. 31, 2010 Mississippi Power [Member] 2028	Dec. 31, 2011 Mississippi Power [Member] 2021	Dec. 31, 2010 Mississippi Power [Member] 2021
Maturity
Total long term debt payable to affiliated trusts	$ 206,000,000	$ 412,000,000													$ 206,000,000	$ 206,000,000	$ 0	$ 206,000,000																											$ 206,000,000	$ 206,000,000					$ 0	$ 206,000,000
Fixed stated interest rate of debt obligation							4.40%	4.40%	0.39%	0.39%	0.16%	0.16%	0.07%	0.07%	3.68%	3.68%	5.88%	5.88%			7.13%	7.13%													0.44%	0.44%							0.07%	0.07%	3.68%	3.68%							3.00%	4.40%				0.39%	0.16%																										7.13%	7.13%
Long-term senior notes and debt:
2011	0	304,000,000																															0	915,000,000			0	200,000,000													0	103,000,000
2012	1,203,000,000	1,778,000,000																															490,000,000	0			500,000,000	500,000,000													200,000,000	200,000,000
2013	1,436,000,000	1,436,000,000																															650,000,000	350,000,000			250,000,000	250,000,000													1,025,000,000	1,025,000,000																	60,000,000	60,000,000									50,000,000	50,000,000
2014	437,000,000	425,000,000																																																																			75,000,000	75,000,000
2015	1,175,000,000	1,184,000,000																																																	250,000,000	250,000,000
2016	1,210,000,000	310,000,000																																			200,000,000	200,000,000													250,000,000	0																	110,000,000	110,000,000									150,000,000	0
2017 through 2041, 2044, 2047, 2051	9,797,000,000	9,128,000,000																																			3,825,000,000	3,675,000,000													4,025,000,000	4,351,000,000																	691,363,000	566,971,000									480,000,000	330,000,000
2040																																	0	50,000,000
Variable rate, due 2011																																																			0	300,000,000																	0	110,000,000
Variable rate, due 2012																																																			250,000,000	0
Variable rate, due 2013																																																			650,000,000	350,000,000
Adjustable rates, due 2011																																																																															0	205,000,000
Adjustable rates, Due 2012																																																																															240,000,000	0
Adjustable rates, due 2040																																																																															0	50,000,000
Total long-term notes payable																																					4,775,000,000	4,825,000,000													6,650,000,000	6,579,000,000																	936,363,000	921,971,000									920,000,000	635,000,000
Total long -term senior notes and debt	16,398,000,000	15,880,000,000
Interest Rates, Minimum			0.03%	0.03%	0.75%	0.75%													2.25%	2.25%																			0.75%	0.75%	0.03%	0.03%													0.80%	0.80%					0.10%										1.75%	1.75%	0.12%								0.08%
Interest Rates, Maximum			0.18%	0.18%	6.00%	6.00%													8.20%	8.20%																			5.00%	5.00%	0.17%	0.17%													5.75%	5.75%					0.18%										6.00%	6.00%	0.16%								0.16%
Fixed stated interest rate of debt obligation							4.40%	4.40%	0.39%	0.39%	0.16%	0.16%	0.07%	0.07%	3.68%	3.68%	5.88%	5.88%			7.13%	7.13%													0.44%	0.44%							0.07%	0.07%	3.68%	3.68%							3.00%	4.40%				0.39%	0.16%																										7.13%	7.13%
Pollution control revenue bonds --
Pollution control revenue bonds, outstanding			1,703,000,000	1,218,000,000	1,590,000,000	1,740,000,000	0	67,000,000	0	8,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000	54,000,000	54,000,000																									367,000,000	367,000,000	730,000,000	734,000,000	54,000,000	54,000,000									0	67,000,000	916,000,000	1,067,000,000	0	8,000,000	4,000,000	4,000,000	864,000,000	373,000,000									239,625,000	239,625,000	69,330,000	69,330,000							40,070,000	40,070,000	42,625,000	42,625,000
2021																					270,000,000	0																																																															270,000,000	0
Total other long -term debt	3,621,000,000	3,091,000,000																																			1,151,000,000	1,155,000,000													1,784,000,000	1,519,000,000																	308,955,000	308,955,000									352,695,000	82,695,000
Capitalized lease obligations	93,000,000	99,000,000																																																	55,000,000	59,000,000																											633,000	2,070,000
Unamortized debt (discount), net																																					0	(1,000,000)													(16,000,000)	(17,000,000)																	(9,871,000)	(6,528,000)
Unamortized debt premium (related to plant acquisition)	78,000,000	1,000,000																																																																													74,551,000	0
Unamortized debt discount	(32,000,000)	(28,000,000)																																																																													(3,650,000)	(1,296,000)
Total long-term debt (annual interest requirement )	20,364,000,000	19,455,000,000																																			6,132,000,000	6,187,000,000													8,473,000,000	8,346,000,000																	1,235,447,000	1,224,398,000									1,344,229,000	718,469,000
Less amount due within one year	1,717,000,000	1,301,000,000																																			500,000,000	200,000,000													455,000,000	415,000,000																	0	110,000,000									240,633,000	256,437,000
Long-term debt excluding amount due within one year	18,647,000,000	18,154,000,000																																			5,632,000,000	5,987,000,000													8,018,000,000	7,931,000,000																	1,235,447,000	1,114,398,000									1,103,596,000	462,032,000
Redeemable Preferred Stock of Subsidiaries:
Redeemable Preferred Stock	375,000,000	375,000,000																					294,000,000	294,000,000	81,000,000	81,000,000
Redeemable Preferred Stock																																					342,000,000	342,000,000									294,000,000	294,000,000	48,000,000	48,000,000	45,000,000	45,000,000													45,000,000	45,000,000													32,780,000	32,780,000
Preference Stock																																					343,000,000	343,000,000													221,000,000	221,000,000															221,000,000	221,000,000	97,998,000	97,998,000					53,886,000	53,886,000	44,112,000	44,112,000
Redeemable and Preference Stock																																																															266,000,000	266,000,000
Common stockholders' equity
Common Stock, No Par Value
Common stock	4,328,000,000	4,219,000,000																																			1,222,000,000	1,222,000,000													398,000,000	398,000,000																	353,060,000	303,060,000									37,691,000	37,691,000
Paid-in capital	4,410,000,000	3,702,000,000																																			2,182,000,000	2,156,000,000													5,522,000,000	5,291,000,000																	542,709,000	538,375,000									694,855,000	392,790,000
Treasury, at cost	(17,000,000)	(15,000,000)
Retained earnings	8,968,000,000	8,366,000,000																																			1,956,000,000	2,022,000,000													3,112,000,000	3,063,000,000																	231,333,000	236,328,000									325,568,000	306,885,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(111,000,000)	(70,000,000)																																			(18,000,000)	(7,000,000)													(9,000,000)	(11,000,000)																	(2,154,000)	(2,727,000)									(8,897,000)	2,000
Total Common Stockholders' Equity	17,578,000,000	16,202,000,000																																			5,342,000,000	5,393,000,000													9,023,000,000	8,741,000,000																	1,124,948,000	1,075,036,000									1,049,217,000	737,368,000
Preferred and preference stock of subsidiaries:
Preferred and Preference Stock of Subsidiaries	707,000,000	707,000,000																									319,000,000	319,000,000	343,000,000	343,000,000	45,000,000	45,000,000
Total stockholders' equity	18,285,000,000	16,909,000,000																																			5,342,000,000	5,393,000,000													9,023,000,000	8,741,000,000																	1,124,948,000	1,075,036,000									1,049,217,000	737,368,000
Total Capitalization	$ 37,307,000,000	$ 35,438,000,000																																			$ 11,659,000,000	$ 12,065,000,000													$ 17,307,000,000	$ 16,938,000,000																	$ 2,458,393,000	$ 2,287,432,000									$ 2,185,593,000	$ 1,232,180,000
Long-term debt excluding amount due within one year, in Percent of Total Capitalization.	50.00%	51.20%																																			48.40%	49.60%													46.40%	46.80%																	50.20%	48.70%									50.50%	37.50%
Total redeemable preferred stock of subsidiaries, in Percent of Total Capitalization	1.00%	1.10%																																			2.90%	2.80%																															4.00%	4.30%									1.50%	2.70%
Total common stockholders' equity, in percent of Total Capitalization	47.10%	45.70%																																			45.80%	44.70%													52.10%	51.60%																	45.80%	47.00%									48.00%	59.80%
Total preferred and preference stock of subsidiaries, in Percent of Total Capitalization	1.90%	2.00%																																			2.90%	2.90%													1.50%	1.60%
Total Capitalization, in Percent	100.00%	100.00%																																			100.00%	100.00%													100.00%	100.00%																	100.00%	100.00%									100.00%	100.00%