Retirement Benefits

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

RETIREMENT BENEFITS

(F) RETIREMENT BENEFITS

Southern Company has a defined benefit, trusteed, pension plan covering substantially all employees. The qualified pension plan is funded in accordance with requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended. No mandatory contributions to the qualified pension plan are anticipated for the year ending December 31, 2012. Southern Company also provides certain defined benefit pension plans for a selected group of management and highly compensated employees. Benefits under these non-qualified pension plans are funded on a cash basis. In addition, Southern Company provides certain medical care and life insurance benefits for retired employees through other postretirement benefit plans. The traditional operating companies fund related other postretirement trusts to the extent required by their respective regulatory commissions.

See Note 2 to the financial statements of Southern Company, Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power in Item 8 of the Form 10-K for additional information.

Components of the net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended March 31, 2012 and 2011 were as follows:

	000000	000000	000000	000000	000000
Pension Plans	Southern Company	Alabama Power	Georgia Power	Gulf Power	Mississippi   Power
	(in millions)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2012
Service cost	$   50	$ 11	$ 15	$   2	$ 2
Interest cost	98	23	35	4	5
Expected return on plan assets	(145)	(40)	(55)	(6)	(6)
Net amortization	31	8	11	1	1
Net cost (income)	$   34	$   2	$   6	$   1	$ 2
Three Months Ended March 31, 2011
Service cost	$   46	$ 11	$ 14	$   2	$ 2
Interest cost	98	24	36	4	4
Expected return on plan assets	(152)	(43)	(59)	(7)	(6)
Net amortization	13	3	5	1	1
Net cost (income)	$     5	$  (5)	$   (4)	$—	$ 1
Postretirement Benefits	Southern Company	Alabama Power	Georgia Power	Gulf Power	Mississippi   Power
	(in millions)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2012
Service cost	$   5	$ 1	$   1	$—	$—
Interest cost	21	5	9	1	1
Expected return on plan assets	(15)	(6)	(7)	—	—
Net amortization	5	2	3	—	—
Net cost (income)	$ 16	$ 2	$   6	$  1	$  1
Three Months Ended March 31, 2011
Service cost	$   5	$ 1	$   2	$—	$—
Interest cost	23	6	10	1	1
Expected return on plan assets	(16)	(6)	(8)	—	—
Net amortization	5	2	3	—	—
Net cost (income)	$ 17	$ 3	$   7	$1	$  1