8-K

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D. C. 20549


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)     September 27, 2000
                                                  -----------------------------


                              THE SOUTHERN COMPANY
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


       Delaware                          1-3526                58-0690070
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(State or other jurisdiction          (Commission             (IRS Employer
     of incorporation)                File Number)          Identification No.)


     270 Peachtree Street, NW, Atlanta, Georgia                   30303
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     (Address of principal executive offices)                   (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code      (404)506-5000
                                                     --------------------------


                                      N/A
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)





Item 5.  Other Events.

         Reference is made to the joint press release of The Southern Company
and Southern Energy, Inc. which is filed herewith as Exhibit 99 and hereby
incorporated herein by reference.

Item 7.           Financial Statements and Exhibits.


                  (c)    Exhibits.

                           99     - Press Release regarding the pricing of
                                    Southern Energy, Inc. initial public
                                    offering.


                                    SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                                  THE SOUTHERN COMPANY


                                                  By /s/Tommy Chisholm
                                                       Tommy Chisholm
                                                         Secretary

Date:    September 28, 2000

EX-99

                                                                     Exhibit 99
News

                                                                 Sept. 27, 2000



News Media Contact:
David Mould (770) 821-7531
Chuck Griffin, (770) 821-7814
James M. Peters, (678) 579-5266
http://www.southernco.com
- -------------------------




                      Southern Company and Southern Energy
                   announce pricing of initial public offering

         ATLANTA - Southern Company (NYSE: SO) and Southern Energy Inc., a
subsidiary of Southern Company, today announced the pricing of the initial
public offering of Southern Energy. The initial public offering of 58 million
shares of common stock (not including the underwriters' overallotment option)
was priced at $22 per share, which is expected to provide $1.276 billion of
gross proceeds to Southern Energy. Southern Energy's common stock commenced
trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "SOE."

         Southern Energy also announced today the pricing of a public offering
of convertible trust preferred securities. The convertible trust preferred
securities were priced to yield 6.25 percent with an effective conversion price
of $27.50 per share. The gross proceeds to Southern Energy from the offering of
the convertible trust preferred securities are expected to be approximately $300
million (not including the purchasers' overallotment option). The convertible
trust preferred securities will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the
symbol "SOEPrA."

         Net proceeds to Southern Energy of the combined offerings are expected
to be approximately $1.506 billion (not including the overallotment options).

         Both offerings were jointly led by Goldman, Sachs & Co. and Morgan
Stanley Dean Witter. A copy of the final prospectus for each offering may be
obtained from the offices of Goldman, Sachs & Co, 85 Broad Street, New York,
N.Y. 10004.


                                     (more)







NEWS RELEASE                           2                          SEPT. 27, 2000


         Southern Energy Inc. - with operations in 12 countries on five
continents - develops, builds, owns and operates power production and delivery
facilities and provides a broad range of services to utilities and industrial
companies around the world. Its Southern Company Energy Marketing unit provides
energy marketing, risk management and financial services and other
energy-related commodities, products and services to customers in the United
States and Canada.

         Southern Company (NYSE: SO), the largest producer of electricity in the
United States, is also the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf
Power, Mississippi Power and Savannah Electric.

         This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a
solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities
in any state or jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would
be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities law of
any such state or jurisdiction.

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