8-K

UNITED STATES

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)                 October 27, 2010                                           

Commission File Number	Registrant, State of Incorporation, Address and Telephone Number	I.R.S. Employer Identification No.
1-3526	The Southern Company (A Delaware Corporation) 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30308 (404) 506-5000	58-0690070
1-3164	Alabama Power Company (An Alabama Corporation) 600 North 18th Street Birmingham, Alabama 35291 (205) 257-1000	63-0004250
1-6468	Georgia Power Company (A Georgia Corporation) 241 Ralph McGill Boulevard, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30308 (404) 506-6526	58-0257110
001-31737	Gulf Power Company (A Florida Corporation) One Energy Place Pensacola, Florida 32520 (850) 444-6111	59-0276810
001-11229	Mississippi Power Company (A Mississippi Corporation) 2992 West Beach Gulfport, Mississippi 39501 (228) 864-1211	64-0205820
333-98553	Southern Power Company (A Delaware Corporation) 30 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd., N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30308 (404) 506-5000	58-2598670

The names and addresses of the registrants have not changed since the last report.

This combined Form 8-K is furnished separately by six registrants: The Southern Company, Alabama Power Company, Georgia Power Company, Gulf Power Company, Mississippi Power Company and Southern Power Company.  Information contained herein relating to each registrant is furnished by each registrant solely on its own behalf.  Each registrant makes no representation as to information relating to the other registrants.

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]	Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)
[  ]	Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ]	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ]	Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 2.02                      Results of Operations and Financial Condition

The information in this Current Report on Form 8-K, including the exhibits attached hereto, shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise subject to the liabilities under that Section.  Furthermore, such information, including the exhibits attached hereto, shall not be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, except as shall be expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

On October 27, 2010, The Southern Company (“Southern Company”) issued a press release regarding its earnings for the periods ended September 30, 2010.  A copy of this release is being furnished as Exhibit 99.01 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.  In addition, certain additional information regarding the financial results for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010 is being furnished as Exhibits 99.02 through 99.07 to this Current Report on Form 8-K.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Exhibits 99.01, 99.02 and 99.03 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, in addition to including earnings and earnings per share in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, also include earnings and earnings per share for such period excluding the charge related to a settlement agreement with MC Asset Recovery, LLC (“MCAR”) to resolve litigation arising out of the 2003 bankruptcy of Mirant Corporation (“Mirant”), a Southern Company subsidiary until its April 2001 spin-off.  The charge related to the settlement agreement with MCAR significantly impacted the presentation of earnings and earnings per share for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, and significant charges related to the Mirant spin-off are not expected to occur in the future.  Accordingly, Southern Company believes the presentation of earnings and earnings per share excluding the charge related to the MCAR settlement agreement is useful to investors because it provides investors with additional information to evaluate the performance of Southern Company’s ongoing business activities.  Southern Company management also uses earnings and earnings per share excluding the charge related to the settlement agreement with MCAR to evaluate the performance of Southern Company’s ongoing business activities.  The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered a substitute for financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP.

Exhibits

The exhibits hereto contain business segment information for Alabama Power Company, Georgia Power Company, Gulf Power Company, Mississippi Power Company and Southern Power Company.  Accordingly, this report is also being furnished on behalf of each such registrant.

The following exhibits relate to the periods ended September 30, 2010:

- 1 -

Exhibit 99.01	Press Release.
Exhibit 99.02	Financial Highlights.
Exhibit 99.03	Significant Factors Impacting EPS.
Exhibit 99.04	EPS Earnings Analysis.
Exhibit 99.05	Consolidated Earnings.
Exhibit 99.06	Kilowatt-Hour Sales.
Exhibit 99.07	Financial Overview.

SIGNATURES

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

Date:             October 27, 2010	THE SOUTHERN COMPANY
	By                    /s/W. Ron Hinson                               W. Ron Hinson                                  Comptroller
	ALABAMA POWER COMPANY GEORGIA POWER COMPANY GULF POWER COMPANY MISSISSIPPI POWER COMPANY SOUTHERN POWER COMPANY
	By                    /s/Melissa K. Caen                             Melissa K. Caen                          Assistant Secretary

- 2 -

EX-99.01

Exhibit 99.01

 News  

Media Contact:                     Tripp Cagle

404-506-5333 or 1-866-506-5333

media@southerncompany.com

www.southerncompany.com

Investor Relations Contact:

Glen Kundert

404-506-5135

gakunder2@southernco.com

 Oct.  27, 2010

Southern Company reports third quarter earnings

ATLANTA – Southern Company (NYSE: SO) today reported third quarter earnings of $817.2 million, or 98 cents a share, compared with $790.0 million, or 99 cents a share, for the same period a year ago.

For the nine months ended Sept. 30, Southern Company’s earnings were $1.82 billion, or $2.20 a share, compared with $1.39 billion, or $1.77 a share, for the same period a year ago.

Earnings for the nine months ended Sept. 30, 2009, included a charge of 25 cents a share, or $202 million, related to a settlement agreement with MC Asset Recovery LLC to resolve a lawsuit arising out of the 2003 bankruptcy of Mirant Corp., a Southern Company subsidiary until its 2001 spin-off.  Excluding the impact of the 2009 settlement, Southern Company earned $2.20 a share for the first nine months of 2010, compared with $2.02 a share for the same period in 2009.

Revenues for the third quarter were $5.32 billion, compared with $4.68 billion for the same period a year ago, a 13.6 percent increase. For the first nine months of the year, revenues totaled $13.68 billion, compared with $12.23 billion for the same period a year ago, an increase of 11.9 percent.

Warmer-than-normal weather for the period and a stronger-than-expected recovery in the industrial sector positively influenced third quarter earnings, as evidenced by increases in electricity usage and sales. Industrial sales benefited from an increase in exports, with those sales performing at 94 percent of pre-recession levels during the third quarter of 2010.

“While our residential and commercial customers continue to face challenges, the growing strength of our industrial base confirms the Southeast as one of the strongest economies in the U.S.,” said Southern Company Chief Executive Officer David M. Ratcliffe. “As the region begins to make slow strides toward recovery, we will continue our emphasis on exceptional service, industry-leading reliability and prices below the national average.”

Third quarter earnings were negatively affected by increased operations and maintenance expenses, reflecting a return to more normal spending levels compared with the same period in 2009 and an accrual to the natural disaster reserve at Alabama Power.  Earnings were further negatively affected by higher depreciation and amortization -- including reduced amortization of the cost of removal obligations at Georgia Power

that helped offset the need for a rate request in 2009 -- and an increase in the number of Southern Company outstanding shares.

In the third quarter, kilowatt-hour sales to retail customers in Southern Company’s four-state service area increased 9.4 percent compared with sales in the third quarter of 2009. Residential electricity sales increased 14.0 percent, while commercial sales increased 6.4 percent and industrial sales increased 7.3 percent. Year-to-date, kilowatt-hour sales to retail customers increased 8.7 percent compared with sales during the same period in 2009. Residential electricity sales increased 13.6 percent, while commercial sales increased 3.9 percent and industrial sales increased 9.0 percent.

Total energy sales to Southern Company’s customers in the Southeast, including wholesale sales, increased 6.5 percent in the third quarter of 2010 compared with the same period in 2009. Year-to-date, total sales of electricity increased 6.9 percent compared with the same period in 2009.

Southern Company’s financial analysts call will begin at 1 p.m. Eastern time today, at which time Ratcliffe, President Thomas A. Fanning and Chief Financial Officer Art P. Beattie will discuss earnings and earnings guidance, as well as a general business update. Investors, media and the public may listen to a live webcast of the call and view associated slides at http://investor.southerncompany.com/events.cfm. A replay of the webcast will be available at the site for 12 months.

Southern Company has also posted on its website detailed financial information on its third quarter performance. These materials are available at www.southerncompany.com.

With 4.4 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier energy company serving the Southeast. A leading U.S. producer of electricity, Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states and a growing competitive generation company, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are below the national average. Southern Company is consistently listed among the top U.S. electric service providers in customer satisfaction by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Visit our website at www.southerncompany.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements:

Certain information contained in this release is forward-looking information based on current expectations and plans that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking information includes, among other things, statements concerning economic recovery. Southern Company cautions that there are certain factors that can cause actual results to differ materially from the forward-looking information that has been provided. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is not a guarantee of future performance and is subject to a number of uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Southern Company; accordingly, there can be no assurance that such suggested results will be realized. The following factors, in addition to those discussed in Southern Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2009, and subsequent securities filings, could cause results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: the impact of recent and future federal and state regulatory change, including legislative and regulatory initiatives regarding deregulation

and restructuring of the electric utility industry, implementation of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, environmental laws including regulation of water quality, coal combustion byproducts, and emissions of sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, soot, particulate matter, hazardous air pollutants, including mercury, and other substances, financial reform legislation, and also changes in tax and other laws and regulations to which Southern Company and its subsidiaries are subject, as well as changes in application of existing laws and regulations; current and future litigation, regulatory investigations, proceedings, or inquiries, including the pending Environmental Protection Agency civil actions against certain Southern Company subsidiaries, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission matters and Internal Revenue Service audits; the effects, extent, and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets in which Southern Company’s subsidiaries operate; variations in demand for electricity, including those relating to weather, the general economy and recovery from the recent recession, population and business growth (and declines), and the effects of energy conservation measures; available sources and costs of fuels; effects of inflation; ability to control costs and avoid cost overruns during the development and construction of facilities; investment performance of Southern Company’s employee benefit plans and nuclear decommissioning trusts; advances in technology; state and federal rate regulations and the impact of pending and future rate cases and negotiations, including rate actions relating to fuel and other cost recovery mechanisms; regulatory approvals and actions related to the potential Plant Vogtle expansion, including Georgia Public Service Commission and Nuclear Regulatory Commission approvals and potential U.S . Department of Energy loan guarantees; regulatory approvals and actions related to the Kemper IGCC, including Mississippi Public Service Commission approvals and potential U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantees; the performance of projects undertaken by the non-utility businesses and the success of efforts to invest in and develop new opportunities; internal restructuring or other restructuring options that may be pursued; potential business strategies, including acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses, which cannot be assured to be completed or beneficial to Southern Company or its subsidiaries; the ability of counterparties of Southern Company and its subsidiaries to make payments as and when due and to perform as required; the ability to obtain new short- and long-term contracts with wholesale customers; the direct or indirect effect on Southern Company’s business resulting from terrorist incidents and the threat of terrorist incidents; interest rate fluctuations and financial marke t conditions and the results of financing efforts, including Southern Company’s and its subsidiaries’ credit ratings; the ability of Southern Company and its subsidiaries to obtain additional generating capacity at competitive prices; catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, hurricanes, droughts, pandemic health events such as influenzas, or other similar occurrences; the direct or indirect effects on Southern Company’s business resulting from incidents affecting the U.S. electric grid or operation of generating resources; and the effect of accounting pronouncements issued periodically by standard setting bodies. Southern Company and its subsidiaries expressly disclaim any obligation to update any forward-looking information.

###

EX-99.02

Exhibit 99.02

Southern Company

Financial Highlights

 (In Millions of Dollars Except Earnings Per Share)

	Three Months Ended September				Year-to-Date September
		2010		2009		2010		2009
Consolidated Earnings–As Reported
(See Notes)
Traditional Operating Companies	$	756	$	726	$	1,713	$	1,449
Southern Power		62		67		106		126
Total		818		793		1,819		1,575
Parent Company and Other		(1)		(3)		3		(181)
Net Income–As Reported	$	817	$	790	$	1,822	$	1,394
Basic Earnings Per Share -	$	0.98	$	0.99	$	2.20	$	1.77
Average Shares Outstanding (in millions)		836		798		829		790
End of Period Shares Outstanding (in millions)						839		801
	Three Months Ended September				Year-to-Date September
		2010		2009		2010		2009
Consolidated Earnings–Excluding Items
(See Notes)
Net Income–As Reported	$	817	$	790	$	1,822	$	1,394
MC Asset Recovery Litigation Settlement		-		-		-		202
Net Income–Excluding Items	$	817	$	790	$	1,822	$	1,596
Basic Earnings Per Share–Excluding Items	$	0.98	$	0.99	$	2.20	$	2.02

Notes

-  For the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, dilution does not change basic earnings per share by more than 1 cent and is not material.

-  The charge related to Southern Company's MC Asset Recovery litigation settlement significantly impacted the presentation of earnings and earnings per share

for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, and significant charges related to the Mirant spin-off are not expected to occur in the future.

-  Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with current year presentation.

-  Information contained in this report is subject to audit and adjustments.  Certain classifications may be different from final results published in the Form 10-Q.

EX-99.03

Exhibit 99.03

Southern Company

Significant Factors Impacting EPS

	Three Months Ended September						Year-to-Date September
		2010		2009		Change		2010		2009		Change
Consolidated Earnings Per Share–
As Reported (See Notes)	$	0.98	$	0.99	$	(0.01)	$	2.20	$	1.77	$	0.43
Significant Factors:
Traditional Operating Companies						0.04						0.34
Southern Power						(0.01)						(0.03)
Parent Company and Other						-						0.23
Additional Shares						(0.04)						(0.11)
Total–As Reported					$	(0.01)					$	0.43
	Three Months Ended September						Year-to-Date September
		2010		2009		Change		2010		2009		Change
Consolidated Earnings Per Share–
Excluding Items (See Notes)	$	0.98	$	0.99	$	(0.01)	$	2.20	$	2.02	$	0.18
Total–As Reported						(0.01)						0.43
MC Asset Recovery Litigation Settlement						-						(0.25)
Total–Excluding Items					$	(0.01)					$	0.18

Notes

-  For the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, dilution does not change basic earnings per share by more than 1 cent and is not material.

-  The charge related to Southern Company's MC Asset Recovery litigation settlement significantly impacted the presentation of earnings and earnings per share

for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, and significant charges related to the Mirant spin-off are not expected to occur in the future.

-  Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with current year presentation.

-  Information contained in this report is subject to audit and adjustments.  Certain classifications may be different from final results published in the Form 10-Q.

EX-99.04

Exhibit 99.04

Southern Company

EPS Earnings Analysis

Three Months Ended September 2010

	Cents	Description
	0.02	Retail Sales
	0.11	Retail Revenue Impacts
	0.15	Weather
	(0.01)	Non-Fuel Revenues
	(0.15)	Non-Fuel O&M
	(0.07)	Depreciation & Amortization
	(0.01)	Taxes Other Than Income Taxes
	$0.04	Total Traditional Operating Companies
	(0.01)	Southern Power
	0.00	Parent and Other
	(0.04)	Increase in Shares
	($0.01)	Total Change in QTD EPS
Notes
-	Information contained in this report is subject to audit and adjustments.  Certain classifications may be different from final results published in the Form 10-Q.

EX-99.05

Exhibit 99.05

Southern Company

Consolidated Earnings
(In Millions of Dollars)

		Three Months Ended September						Year-to-Date September
		2010		2009		Change		2010		2009		Change
Income Account-
Retail Revenues-
Fuel	$	1,765	$	1,539	$	226	$	4,646	$	4,097	$	549
Non-Fuel		2,808		2,458		350		6,957		6,258		699
Wholesale Revenues		566		519		47		1,581		1,408		173
Other Electric Revenues		161		141		20		439		392		47
Non-regulated Operating Revenues		20		25		(5)		62		78		(16)
Total Revenues		5,320		4,682		638		13,685		12,233		1,452
Fuel and Purchased Power		2,179		1,901		278		5,708		4,997		711
Non-fuel O & M		1,020		821		199		2,847		2,523		324
MCAR Litigation Settlement		0		0		0		0		202		(202)
Depreciation and Amortization		427		332		95		1,137		1,099		38
Taxes Other Than Income Taxes		235		213		22		661		621		40
Total Operating Expenses		3,861		3,267		594		10,353		9,442		911
Operating Income		1,459		1,415		44		3,332		2,791		541
Other Income, net		42		54		(12)		130		166		(36)
Interest Charges		225		226		(1)		666		685		(19)
Income Taxes		442		436		6		925		829		96
Net Income		834		807		27		1,871		1,443		428
Dividends on Preferred and Preference Stock of Subsidiaries		17		17		0		49		49		0
NET INCOME AFTER DIVIDENDS ON PREFERRED
AND PREFERENCE STOCK (See Notes)	$	817	$	790	$	27	$	1,822	$	1,394	$	428

Notes

-  Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with current year presentation.

-  Information contained in this report is subject to audit and adjustments.  Certain classifications may be different from final results published in the Form 10-Q.

EX-99.06

Exhibit 99.06

Southern Company
Kilowatt-Hour Sales
(In Millions of KWHs)

	Three Months Ended September				Year-to-Date September
				Weather				Weather
				Adjusted				Adjusted
As Reported (See Notes)	2010	2009	Change	Change	2010	2009	Change	Change
Kilowatt-Hour Sales-
Total Sales	56,783	53,314	6.5%		153,068	143,172	6.9%
Total Retail Sales-	47,545	43,474	9.4%	1.4%	126,992	116,797	8.7%	2.5%
Residential	17,922	15,727	14.0%	0.1%	45,762	40,289	13.6%	0.9%
Commercial	15,941	14,979	6.4%	-0.8%	42,684	41,068	3.9%	-0.7%
Industrial	13,446	12,529	7.3%	5.7%	37,836	34,722	9.0%	8.2%
Other	236	239	-1.0%	-1.7%	710	718	-1.1%	-1.6%
Total Wholesale Sales	9,238	9,840	-6.1%	N/A	26,076	26,375	-1.1%	N/A

Notes

- Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with current year presentation.

- Information contained in this report is subject to audit and adjustments.  Certain classifications may be different from final results published in the Form 10-Q.

EX-99.07

Exhibit 99.07

 Southern Company

Financial Overview
(In Millions of Dollars)

	Three Months Ended September					Year-to-Date September
		2010		2009	% Change		2010		2009	% Change
Consolidated –
Operating Revenues	$	5,320	$	4,682	13.6%	$	13,685	$	12,233	11.9%
Earnings Before Income Taxes		1,275		1,242	2.7%		2,796		2,272	23.1%
Net Income Available to Common		817		790	3.5%		1,822		1,394	30.7%
Alabama Power –
Operating Revenues	$	1,706	$	1,592	7.1%	$	4,663	$	4,298	8.5%
Earnings Before Income Taxes		427		426	0.4%		1,081		958	12.8%
Net Income Available to Common		260		262	-0.8%		652		584	11.6%
Georgia Power –
Operating Revenues	$	2,628	$	2,327	12.9%	$	6,612	$	5,967	10.8%
Earnings Before Income Taxes		648		608	6.6%		1,342		1,091	23.0%
Net Income Available to Common		420		388	8.3%		896		700	28.1%
Gulf Power –
Operating Revenues	$	483	$	378	28.0%	$	1,243	$	1,003	24.0%
Earnings Before Income Taxes		70		65	8.2%		165		140	18.1%
Net Income Available to Common		43		41	4.1%		101		90	11.7%
Mississippi Power –
Operating Revenues	$	327	$	331	-1.1%	$	888	$	886	0.2%
Earnings Before Income Taxes		53		58	-8.2%		103		122	-15.8%
Net Income Available to Common		34		35	-3.7%		64		75	-14.4%
Southern Power –
Operating Revenues	$	357	$	283	25.9%	$	862	$	745	15.6%
Earnings Before Income Taxes		93		108	-14.2%		157		205	-23.6%
Net Income Available to Common		62		67	-8.3%		106		126	-15.9%

Notes

-  Certain prior year data has been reclassified to conform with current year presentation.

-  Information contained in this report is subject to audit and adjustments.  Certain classifications may be different from final results published in the Form 10-Q.