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Commitments - Textuals (Details)
MMBTU in Millions
6 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
MMBTU
Railcar
Jun. 30, 2016
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
MMBTU
Railcar
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2013
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Fuel expense     $ 4,361,000,000 $ 4,750,000,000 $ 6,005,000,000  
Expense under purchase power agreements accounted for as operating leases     232,000,000 227,000,000 198,000,000  
Operating leases rent expense     169,000,000 130,000,000 118,000,000  
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due $ 1,784,000,000   1,784,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 152,000,000   152,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 134,000,000   134,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 113,000,000   113,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 100,000,000   100,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 90,000,000   90,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 1,195,000,000   1,195,000,000      
Senior Notes 33,000,000,000   33,000,000,000 19,100,000,000    
Barges and Rail Cars [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 89,000,000   89,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 31,000,000   31,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 19,000,000   19,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 10,000,000   10,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 10,000,000   10,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 8,000,000   8,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 11,000,000   11,000,000      
Mississippi Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Fuel expense     $ 343,000,000 443,000,000 574,000,000  
Term of Management Fee Contract     40 years      
Management fee 41,000,000   $ 41,000,000      
Operating leases rent expense     3,000,000 5,000,000 10,000,000  
Long-term pollution control bonds 83,000,000   83,000,000 83,000,000    
Senior Notes $ 790,000,000   $ 790,000,000 1,100,000,000    
Number of Railcars Used Under Operating Lease | Railcar 229   229      
Company's share of the leases 50.00%   50.00%      
Fuel cost recovery clause     $ 2,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000  
Mississippi Power [Member] | Plant Daniel [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Company's share of the leases 50.00%   50.00%      
Mississippi Power [Member] | Barges and Rail Cars [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Average leasing commitment, 2015 $ 1,000,000   $ 1,000,000      
Alabama Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Fuel expense     1,297,000,000 1,342,000,000 1,605,000,000  
Expense under purchase power agreements accounted for as operating leases     42,000,000 38,000,000 37,000,000  
Operating leases rent expense     18,000,000 19,000,000 18,000,000  
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 60,000,000   60,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 14,000,000   14,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 10,000,000   10,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 10,000,000   10,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 8,000,000   8,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 8,000,000   8,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 10,000,000   10,000,000      
Long-term pollution control bonds $ 1,100,000,000   $ 1,100,000,000 1,100,000,000    
Percent ownership 14.00%   14.00%      
Alabama Power [Member] | Barges and Rail Cars [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases rent expense     $ 14,000,000 13,000,000 14,000,000  
Alabama Power [Member] | Residual Value, Leased Property [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Leasing commitment, 2017 $ 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2018 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2019 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2020 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2021 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 12,000,000   12,000,000      
Georgia Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Fuel expense     1,807,000,000 2,033,000,000 2,547,000,000  
Operating leases rent expense     28,000,000 29,000,000 28,000,000  
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 73,000,000   $ 73,000,000      
Period of service for gas transportation supplier     1 year      
Maximum guarantee 43,000,000   $ 43,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 19,000,000   19,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 13,000,000   13,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 9,000,000   9,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 9,000,000   9,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 8,000,000   8,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 15,000,000   15,000,000      
Long-term pollution control bonds 1,800,000,000   1,800,000,000 1,800,000,000    
Senior Notes 6,200,000,000   6,200,000,000 6,300,000,000    
Capacity Payments     11,000,000 10,000,000 19,000,000  
Deferred capacity expense $ 217,000,000   $ 217,000,000 203,000,000 167,000,000  
Percentage of minimum lease payments     100.00%      
Company's share of the leases 50.00%   50.00%      
Georgia Power [Member] | Plant McIntosh [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Period of service for gas transportation supplier           15 years
Georgia Power [Member] | MEAG Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Percent ownership 5.00%   5.00%      
Georgia Power [Member] | Alabama Power [Member] | Payment Guarantee [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Long-term pollution control bonds $ 25,000,000   $ 25,000,000      
Georgia Power [Member] | Alabama Power [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Senior Notes 100,000,000   100,000,000      
Georgia Power [Member] | Barges and Rail Cars [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 28,000,000   28,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 12,000,000   12,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 6,000,000   6,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 3,000,000   3,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 3,000,000   3,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 2,000,000   2,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 2,000,000   2,000,000      
Georgia Power [Member] | Residual Value, Leased Property [Member] | 2018 [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 32,000,000   32,000,000      
Gulf Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Fuel expense     432,000,000 445,000,000 605,000,000  
Expense under purchase power agreements accounted for as operating leases     75,000,000 75,000,000 50,000,000  
Operating leases rent expense     9,000,000 14,000,000 15,000,000  
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 16,000,000   16,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 8,000,000   8,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 6,000,000   6,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 1,000,000   1,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2021 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 1,000,000   1,000,000      
Long-term pollution control bonds 309,000,000   309,000,000 309,000,000    
Senior Notes 777,000,000   777,000,000 1,010,000,000    
Deferred capacity expense 119,000,000   119,000,000 141,000,000    
Gulf Power [Member] | Barges and Rail Cars [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 12,000,000   12,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 7,000,000   7,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 5,000,000   5,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2020 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2021 0   0      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 0   0      
Gulf Power [Member] | Barges and Rail Cars [Member] | Plant Daniel [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Leasing commitment, 2017 2,000,000   2,000,000      
Fuel cost recovery clause     2,000,000 2,000,000 3,000,000  
Gulf Power [Member] | Barge Transportation [Member] | Plant Crist and Plant Smith [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Leasing commitment, 2017 5,000,000   5,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 5,000,000   5,000,000      
Fuel cost recovery clause     5,000,000 10,000,000 10,000,000  
Southern Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Fuel expense     456,000,000 441,000,000 596,000,000  
Operating leases rent expense     22,000,000 7,000,000 4,000,000  
Leasing commitment, 2017 18,000,000   18,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 19,000,000   19,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 20,000,000   20,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 20,000,000   20,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 20,000,000   20,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 762,000,000   762,000,000      
Senior Notes 5,300,000,000   5,300,000,000 2,700,000,000    
Southern Company Gas [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 119,000,000   119,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 18,000,000   18,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 17,000,000   17,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 16,000,000   16,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 15,000,000   15,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 15,000,000   15,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 38,000,000   38,000,000      
Senior Notes 3,700,000,000   3,700,000,000 2,500,000,000    
Alabama Power and Georgia Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due 44,000,000   44,000,000      
Tropic Equipment Leasing Inc [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Maximum guarantee $ 1,000,000   $ 1,000,000      
Nicor Gas and Southstar [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Natural gas pipeline capacity | MMBTU 33   33      
Long-term purchase commitment amount     $ 106,000,000      
Non-Affiliate Operating Lease PPA [Member] | Georgia Power [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases, future minimum lease payments due $ 1,505,000,000   1,505,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2017 123,000,000   123,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2018 126,000,000   126,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2019 127,000,000   127,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2020 123,000,000   123,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2021 124,000,000   124,000,000      
Leasing commitment, 2022 and thereafter 882,000,000   $ 882,000,000      
Successor [Member] | Southern Company Gas [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases rent expense $ 8,000,000          
Predecessor [Member] | Southern Company Gas [Member]            
Recorded Unconditional Purchase Obligation [Line Items]            
Operating leases rent expense   $ 6,000,000   $ 12,000,000 $ 13,000,000