Retirement Benefits

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

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. No mandatory contributions to the qualified pension plan are anticipated for the year ending December 31, 2012. 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, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:

Pension Plans	Southern Company	Alabama Power	Georgia Power	Gulf Power	Mississippi   Power
	(in millions)
Three Months Ended June 30, 2012
Service cost	$   49	$ 11	$ 15	$   3	$ 3
Interest cost	99	24	36	4	4
Expected return on plan assets	(146)	(41)	(55)	(7)	(6)
Net amortization	31	7	11	2	1
Net cost (income)	$   33	$   1	$7	$   2	$ 2
Six Months Ended June 30, 2012
Service cost	$   99	$ 22	$ 30	$   5	$  5
Interest cost	197	47	71	8	9
Expected return on plan assets	(291)	(81)	(110)	(13)	(12)
Net amortization	62	15	22	3	2
Net cost (income)	$  67	$   3	$ 13	$   3	$  4
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

Postretirement Benefits	Southern Company				Alabama Power				Georgia Power				Gulf Power				Mississippi Power
	(in millions)
Three Months Ended June 30, 2012
Service cost		$	6			$	2			$	2			$	1			$	1
Interest cost			21				6				10				1				1
Expected return on plan assets			(15	)			(6	)			(7	)			(1	)			(1	)
Net amortization			5				1				2				—				—
Net cost (income)		$	17			$	3			$	7			$	1			$	1
Six Months Ended June 30, 2012
Service cost		$	11			$	3			$	3			$	1			$	1
Interest cost			42				11				19				2				2
Expected return on plan assets			(30	)			(12	)			(14	)			(1	)			(1	)
Net amortization			10				3				5				—				—
Net cost (income)		$	33			$	5			$	13			$	2			$	2
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