Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	$ 0	$ 1,000,000	$ 0	$ (4,000,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	1,000,000	1,000,000	5,000,000	4,000,000
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of pension and other post retirement benefit plans included in net income, tax	1,000,000	0	3,000,000	1,000,000
Alabama Power [Member]
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	(2,000,000)	0	(6,000,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	1,000,000	0	1,000,000	0
Georgia Power [Member]
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	0	0	1,000,000	1,000,000
Gulf Power [Member]
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	58,000	90,000	238,000	270,000
Mississippi Power [Member]
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	0	0	(296,000)
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	131,000	131,000	394,000	279,000
Southern Power [Member]
Changes in fair value of qualifying hedges, tax	0	215,000	0	95,000
Reclassification adjustment for amounts of qualifying hedges included in net income, tax	$ 213,000	$ 999,000	$ 2,310,000	$ 2,911,000