Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	$ 0	$ 2,000,000
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	2,000,000	1,000,000
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of pension and other post retirement benefit plans included in net income, tax	1,000,000	1,000,000
Alabama Power [Member]
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	3,000,000
Georgia Power [Member]
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	0	0
Gulf Power [Member]
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	90,000	90,000
Mississippi Power [Member]
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	(296,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	131,000	16,000
Southern Power [Member]
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	(173,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	$ 1,045,000	$ 956,000