Financing (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Financing [Abstract]

Scheduled maturities and redemptions of securities due within one year

	2011		2010
	(in millions)
Pollution control revenue bonds	$	—	$	8
Capitalized leases		24		23
Senior notes		1,200		600
Other long-term debt		493		670
Total	$	1,717	$	1,301

Credit arrangements by company

	Expires (a)												Due Within  One Year				Executable Term-Loans
Company	2012		2013		2014		2016		Total		Unused		Term   Out		No Term   Out		One Year		Two   Years
	(in millions)								(in millions)				(in millions)				(in millions)
Southern Company	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	1,000	$	1,000	$	1,000	$	—	$	—	$	—	$	—
Alabama Power		121		35		350		800		1,306		1,306		51		71		51		—
Georgia Power		—		—		250		1,500		1,750		1,745		—		—		—		—
Gulf Power		75		—		165		—		240		240		75		—		75		—
Mississippi Power		131		—		165		—		296		296		66		65		25		41
Southern Power		—		—		—		500		500		500		—		—		—		—
Other		25		25		—		—		50		50		25		—		25		—
Total	$	352	$	60	$	930	$	3,800	$	5,142	$	5,137	$	217	$	136	$	176	$	41

(a) No credit arrangements expire in 2015.

Short-term borrowings

	Short-term Debt at  the End of the Period			Short-term Debt During the Period (a)
	Amount Outstanding		Weighted     Average Interest Rate	Average   Outstanding		Weighted     Average Interest Rate	Maximum Amount   Outstanding
	(in millions)			(in millions)			(in millions)
December 31, 2011:
Commercial paper		$654	0.28%		$697	0.29%		$1,586
Short-term bank debt		200	1.18%		14	1.21%		200
Total		$854	0.49%		$711	0.32%
December 31, 2010:
Commercial paper		$1,295	0.32%		$690	0.29%		$1,305

(a) Average and maximum amounts are based upon daily balances during the period.