Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Qualifying hedges:
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	$ 0	$ (1,000,000)	$ 2,000,000	$ 0
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	1,000,000	3,000,000	3,000,000	6,000,000
Marketable securities:
Change in fair value of marketable securities, tax	2,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000
Pension and other post retirement benefit plans:
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of pension and other post retirement benefit plans included in net income, tax	(1,000,000)	0	1,000,000	0
Alabama Power [Member]
Qualifying hedges:
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	(1,000,000)	0	1,000,000	0
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	(1,000,000)	0	(1,000,000)	1,000,000
Georgia Power [Member]
Qualifying hedges:
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	1,000,000	2,000,000	1,000,000	4,000,000
Gulf Power [Member]
Qualifying hedges:
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	412,000	0	(542,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	90,000	91,000	180,000	196,000
Mississippi Power [Member]
Qualifying hedges:
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	7,000	(8,000)	6,000	4,000
Southern Power [Member]
Qualifying hedges:
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	(23,000)	(1,303,000)	400,000	410,000
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	$ 1,084,000	$ 990,000	$ 2,155,000	$ 1,993,000