EIGHTH BANK LOAN CERTIFICATE OF NOTIFICATION

                             (Fourth Quarter - 1997)

                                    Filed by

                              THE SOUTHERN COMPANY

Pursuant  to order of the  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  dated  March 
13,  1996 in the  matter of File No.70-8789.

The Southern Company (SOUTHERN) hereby certifies to said Commission, pursuant to
Rule 24, that, in accordance with the terms and conditions of and for the
purposes represented by the statement on Form U-1 in the above matter at the end
of the fourth quarter of 1997, SOUTHERN had:-

No short-term or term loan notes outstanding;

Commercial paper to dealers outstanding - $768,688,000; and

Non-negotiable promissory notes to public entities in exchange for the proceeds
of their revenue anticipation notes - $0.



                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Public Utility Holding Company Act
of 1935, the undersigned company has duly caused this certificate to be signed
on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


Dated: February 13, 1998       THE SOUTHERN COMPANY


                               By:  /s/ Tommy Chisholm
                                      Tommy Chisholm
                                Secretary and Assistant Treasurer