Exhibit F

                              Troutman Sanders LLP
                                Attorneys At Law
                              Bank of America Plaza
                     600 Peachtree Street, N.E., Suite 5200
                             Atlanta, Georgia 30308
                                  404-885-3000

September 5, 2000


Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC  20549

RE:      The Southern Company
         Statement on Form U-1
         File No. 70-9035

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We are familiar with the statement on Form U-1 referred to above and
are furnishing this opinion with respect to the proposed granting of Incentive
Stock Options, Nonqualified Stock Options, Stock Appreciation Rights and
Restricted Stock and the issuance and sale by The Southern Company ("Southern")
of additional shares of its common stock, par value $5 per share, pursuant to
the Southern Company Performance Stock Plan (the "Plan"), as described in such
statement on Form U-1.

         We are of the opinion that Southern is a validly organized and duly
existing corporation under the laws of the State of Delaware and that, upon the
issuance of your order or orders herein and upon compliance with the applicable
provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the securities or
"Blue Sky" laws of any jurisdiction applicable thereto and in the event that the
proposed transactions by Southern are consummated in accordance with the terms
of the Plan and such order or orders:

         (a) all State laws applicable to the proposed transactions by Southern
         will have been complied with;

         (b) the shares of common stock of Southern which are proposed to be
         issued and sold pursuant to the Plan will be validly issued, fully paid
         and non-assessable shares of common stock of Southern and the holders
         thereof will be entitled to the rights and privileges appertaining
         thereto set forth in the Certificate of Incorporation of Southern, as
         amended, defining such rights and privileges; and





Securities and Exchange Commission
September 5, 2000
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         (c) the consummation of the proposed transactions by Southern will not
         violate the legal rights of the holders of any securities issued by
         Southern or any associate company thereof.

         We hereby consent to the use of this opinion in connection with the
filing of such statement on Form U-1.

                                                     Very truly yours,

                                                     /s/ Troutman Sanders LLP