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Common Stock and Stock Compensation - Textual Stock Issued, Reserved, Employee (Details)
$ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Millions
1 Months Ended 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2015
USD ($)
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Employee
shares
Dec. 31, 2016
USD ($)
Employee
shares
Dec. 31, 2015
USD ($)
shares
Dec. 31, 2014
USD ($)
shares
Jul. 01, 2016
$ / shares
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Common stock issuances | $     $ 3,758 $ 256 $ 806  
Common stock fees and commissions | $   $ 3        
Stock issued employee and director stock plans     20,000      
Proceeds from issuance of shares under share-based compensation plans | $     $ 874      
Number of shares reserved for issuance to stock-based compensation plan     94,000      
Number of employees participating in stock-based compensation plans | Employee   5,229 5,229      
Common Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Stock issued, shares     76,140 6,571 15,769  
Treasury Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Stock issued, shares     2,599 (2,599) 4,996  
Underwritten Offerings [Member] | Common Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Stock issued, shares     50,800      
Common stock issuances | $     $ 2,500      
Underwritten Offerings [Member] | Treasury Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Stock issued, shares     2,600      
At-The-Market [Member] | Common Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Stock issued, shares   8,000        
Common stock issuances | $   $ 381        
Southern Company Common Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Remaining shares available for awards   14,000 14,000      
Alabama Power [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Number of employees participating in stock-based compensation plans | Employee   865 865      
Georgia Power [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Number of employees participating in stock-based compensation plans | Employee   990 990      
Gulf Power [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Common stock issuances | $ $ 20   $ 0 $ 20 $ 50  
Number of employees participating in stock-based compensation plans | Employee   184 184      
Gulf Power [Member] | Common Stock [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Stock issued, shares       1,000 0  
Mississippi Power [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Number of employees participating in stock-based compensation plans | Employee   220 220      
Southern Company [Member] | Southern Company Gas [Member]            
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]            
Business acquisition share price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares           $ 66