Document and Entity Information	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017 shares
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	SOUTHERN CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000092122
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2017
Amendment Flag	false
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2017
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	1,003,627,691
ALABAMA POWER CO
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	ALABAMA POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000003153
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	30,537,500
GEORGIA POWER CO
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	GEORGIA POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000041091
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	9,261,500
GULF POWER CO
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	GULF POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000044545
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	7,392,717
MISSISSIPPI POWER CO
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	MISSISSIPPI POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000066904
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	1,121,000
SOUTHERN POWER CO
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	SOUTHERN POWER CO
Entity Central Index Key	0001160661
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	1,000
SOUTHERN Co GAS
Document Information [Line Items]
Entity Registrant Name	SOUTHERN Co GAS
Entity Central Index Key	0001004155
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding (in shares)	100