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Financing
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
FINANCING
FINANCING
Bank Credit Arrangements
Bank credit arrangements provide liquidity support to the registrants' commercial paper borrowings and the traditional electric operating companies' revenue bonds. The amount of variable rate revenue bonds of the traditional electric operating companies outstanding requiring liquidity support as of September 30, 2018 was approximately $1.5 billion (comprised of approximately $854 million at Alabama Power, $550 million at Georgia Power, $82 million at Gulf Power, and $40 million at Mississippi Power). In addition, at September 30, 2018, the traditional electric operating companies had approximately $573 million (comprised of approximately $120 million at Alabama Power, $345 million at Georgia Power, $58 million at Gulf Power, and $50 million at Mississippi Power) of revenue bonds outstanding that were required to be remarketed within the next 12 months. Subsequent to September 30, 2018, Alabama Power purchased and held its approximately $120 million of outstanding pollution control revenue bonds required to be remarketed. See Note 6 to the financial statements of each registrant under "Bank Credit Arrangements" in Item 8 of the Form 10-K and "Financing Activities" herein for additional information.
The following table outlines the committed credit arrangements by company as of September 30, 2018:
 
Expires
 
 
 
Executable Term
Loans
 
Expires Within
One Year
Company
2018
2019
2020
2022
 
Total
 
Unused
 
One
Year
 
Term
Out
 
No Term
Out
 
(in millions)
Southern Company(a)
$

$

$

$
2,000

 
$
2,000

 
$
1,999

 
$

 
$

 
$

Alabama Power

33

500

800

 
1,333

 
1,333

 

 

 
33

Georgia Power



1,750

 
1,750

 
1,736

 

 

 

Gulf Power
20

25

235


 
280

 
280

 
45

 
45

 

Mississippi Power

100



 
100

 
100

 

 

 

Southern Power Company(b)



750

 
750

 
728

 

 

 

Southern Company Gas(c)



1,900

 
1,900

 
1,895

 

 

 

Other

30



 
30

 
30

 

 

 
30

Southern Company Consolidated
$
20

$
188

$
735

$
7,200

 
$
8,143

 
$
8,101

 
$
45

 
$
45

 
$
63


(a)
Represents the Southern Company parent entity.
(b)
Does not include Southern Power Company's $120 million continuing letter of credit facility for standby letters of credit expiring in 2019, of which $22 million remains unused at September 30, 2018.
(c)
Southern Company Gas, as the parent entity, guarantees the obligations of Southern Company Gas Capital, which is the borrower of $1.4 billion of these arrangements. Southern Company Gas' committed credit arrangements also include $500 million for which Nicor Gas is the borrower and which is restricted for working capital needs of Nicor Gas.
Subject to applicable market conditions, Southern Company and its subsidiaries expect to renew or replace their bank credit arrangements as needed, prior to expiration. In connection therewith, Southern Company and its subsidiaries may extend the maturity dates and/or increase or decrease the lending commitments thereunder.
DOE Loan Guarantee Borrowings
See Note 6 to the financial statements of Southern Company and Georgia Power under "DOE Loan Guarantee Borrowings" in Item 8 of the Form 10-K for additional information regarding Georgia Power's Loan Guarantee Agreement.
On July 27, 2017, Georgia Power entered into an amendment to the Loan Guarantee Agreement (LGA Amendment) in connection with the DOE's consent to Georgia Power's entry into the Vogtle Services Agreement and the related intellectual property licenses (IP Licenses). Under the terms of the Loan Guarantee Agreement, upon termination of the Vogtle 3 and 4 Agreement, further advances are conditioned upon the DOE's approval of any agreements entered into in replacement of the Vogtle 3 and 4 Agreement. Under the terms of the LGA Amendment, Georgia Power will not request any advances unless and until certain conditions are satisfied, including (i) receipt of the DOE's approval of the Bechtel Agreement (together with the Vogtle Services Agreement and the IP Licenses, the Replacement EPC Arrangements) and (ii) Georgia Power's entry into a further amendment to the Loan Guarantee Agreement with the DOE to reflect the Replacement EPC Arrangements.
In September 2017, the DOE issued a conditional commitment to Georgia Power for up to approximately $1.67 billion in additional guaranteed loans under the Loan Guarantee Agreement. In September 2018, the DOE extended the conditional commitment to March 31, 2019. Any further extension must be approved by the DOE. Final approval and issuance of these additional loan guarantees by the DOE cannot be assured and are subject to the negotiation of definitive agreements, completion of due diligence by the DOE, receipt of any necessary regulatory approvals, and satisfaction of other conditions.
As of September 30, 2018, Georgia Power had $2.6 billion of borrowings outstanding under the multi-advance term loan facility (FFB Credit Facility) among Georgia Power, the DOE, and the FFB.
Under the Loan Guarantee Agreement, Georgia Power is subject to customary borrower affirmative and negative covenants and events of default. In addition, Georgia Power is subject to project-related reporting requirements and other project-specific covenants and events of default.
In the event certain mandatory prepayment events (including any decision not to continue construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4) occur, the FFB's commitment to make further advances under the FFB Credit Facility will terminate and Georgia Power will be required to prepay the outstanding principal amount of all borrowings under the FFB Credit Facility over a period of five years (with level principal amortization). Among other things, these mandatory prepayment events include (i) the termination of the Vogtle Services Agreement or rejection of the Vogtle Services Agreement in bankruptcy if Georgia Power does not maintain access to intellectual property rights under the IP Licenses; (ii) a decision by Georgia Power not to continue construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4; (iii) cancellation of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 by the Georgia PSC, or by Georgia Power if authorized by the Georgia PSC; and (iv) cost disallowances by the Georgia PSC that could have a material adverse effect on completion of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 or Georgia Power's ability to repay the outstanding borrowings under the FFB Credit Facility. Under certain circumstances, insurance proceeds and any proceeds from an event of taking must be applied to immediately prepay outstanding borrowings under the FFB Credit Facility. In addition, if Georgia Power discontinues construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, Georgia Power would be obligated to immediately repay a portion of the outstanding borrowings under the FFB Credit Facility to the extent such outstanding borrowings exceed 70% of Eligible Project Costs, net of the proceeds received by Georgia Power under the Guarantee Settlement Agreement. Georgia Power also may voluntarily prepay outstanding borrowings under the FFB Credit Facility. Under the FFB Credit Facility, any prepayment (whether mandatory or optional) will be made with a make-whole premium or discount, as applicable.
Financing Activities
The following table outlines the long-term debt financing activities for Southern Company and its subsidiaries for the first nine months of 2018:
Company
Senior
Note
Issuances
 
Senior Note Maturities, Redemptions, and Repurchases
 
Revenue Bond
Maturities, Redemptions, and
Repurchases
 
Other
Long-Term
Debt
Issuances
 
Other Long-Term Debt Redemptions
and Maturities(a)
 
(in millions)
Southern Company(b)
$
750

 
$
1,000

 
$

 
$

 
$

Alabama Power
500

 

 

 

 

Georgia Power

 
1,000

 
469

 

 
107

Mississippi Power
600

 

 
43

 

 
900

Southern Power

 
350

 

 

 
420

Southern Company Gas

 

 
200

 
100

 

Other

 

 

 

 
10

Elimination(c)

 

 

 

 
(1
)
Southern Company Consolidated
$
1,850

 
$
2,350

 
$
712

 
$
100

 
$
1,436


(a)
Includes reductions in capital lease obligations resulting from cash payments under capital leases.
(b)
Represents the Southern Company parent entity.
(c)
Represents reductions in affiliate capital lease obligations at Georgia Power, which are eliminated in Southern Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.
Except as otherwise described herein, Southern Company and its subsidiaries used the proceeds of debt issuances for their redemptions and maturities shown in the table above, to repay short-term indebtedness, and for general corporate purposes, including working capital. The subsidiaries also used the proceeds for their construction programs.
Southern Company
In March 2018, Southern Company entered into a $900 million short-term floating rate bank loan bearing interest based on one-month LIBOR, which was repaid in August 2018.
In April 2018, Southern Company borrowed $250 million pursuant to a short-term uncommitted bank credit arrangement, bearing interest at a rate agreed upon by Southern Company and the bank from time to time and payable on no less than 30 days' demand by the bank.
In June 2018, Southern Company repaid at maturity two $100 million short-term floating rate bank term loans.
In August 2018, Southern Company issued $750 million aggregate principal amount of Series 2018A Floating Rate Senior Notes due February 14, 2020 bearing interest based on three-month LIBOR, entered into a $1.5 billion short-term floating rate bank loan bearing interest based on one-month LIBOR, and repaid $250 million borrowed in August 2017 pursuant to a short-term uncommitted bank credit arrangement.
Alabama Power
In June 2018, Alabama Power issued $500 million aggregate principal amount of Series 2018A 4.30% Senior Notes due July 15, 2048.
Georgia Power
In January 2018, Georgia Power repaid its outstanding $150 million and $100 million floating rate bank loans due May 31, 2018 and October 26, 2018, respectively.
In April 2018, Georgia Power redeemed all $250 million aggregate principal amount of its Series 2008B 5.40% Senior Notes due June 1, 2018.
In May 2018, through cash tender offers, Georgia Power repurchased and retired $89 million of the $250 million aggregate principal amount outstanding of its Series 2007A 5.65% Senior Notes due March 1, 2037, $326 million of the $500 million aggregate principal amount outstanding of its Series 2009A 5.95% Senior Notes due February 1, 2039, and $335 million of the $600 million aggregate principal amount outstanding of its Series 2010B 5.40% Senior Notes due June 1, 2040, for an aggregate purchase price, excluding accrued and unpaid interest, of $902 million.
During 2018, Georgia Power purchased and held the following pollution control revenue bonds, which may be reoffered to the public at a later date:
$104.6 million aggregate principal amount of Development Authority of Burke County (Georgia) Pollution Control Revenue Bonds (Georgia Power Company Plant Vogtle Project), First Series 2013
$173 million aggregate principal amount of Development Authority of Bartow County (Georgia) Pollution Control Revenue Bonds (Georgia Power Company Plant Bowen Project), First Series 2009
$55 million aggregate principal amount of Development Authority of Burke County (Georgia) Pollution Control Revenue Bonds (Georgia Power Company Plant Vogtle Project), Fifth Series 1994
$65 million aggregate principal amount of Development Authority of Burke County (Georgia) Pollution Control Revenue Bonds (Georgia Power Company Plant Vogtle Project), Second Series 2008
$71.735 million aggregate principal amount of Development Authority of Bartow County (Georgia) Pollution Control Revenue Bonds (Georgia Power Company Plant Bowen Project), First Series 2013
Mississippi Power
In March 2018, Mississippi Power issued $300 million aggregate principal amount of Series 2018A Floating Rate Senior Notes due March 27, 2020 bearing interest based on three-month LIBOR and $300 million aggregate principal amount of Series 2018B 3.95% Senior Notes due March 30, 2028. In March 2018, Mississippi Power also entered into a $300 million short-term floating rate bank loan bearing interest based on one-month LIBOR, of which $200 million was repaid in the second quarter 2018 and $100 million was repaid in the third quarter 2018. Mississippi Power used the proceeds from these financings to repay a $900 million unsecured term loan.
In July 2018, Mississippi Power purchased and held approximately $43 million aggregate principal amount of Mississippi Business Finance Corporation Pollution Control Revenue Refunding Bonds, Series 2002. Mississippi Power may reoffer these bonds to the public at a later date.
Subsequent to September 30, 2018, Mississippi Power completed the redemption of all 8,867 outstanding shares ($886,700 aggregate par value) of its 4.40% Series Preferred Stock, all 8,643 outstanding shares ($864,300 aggregate par value) of its 4.60% Series Preferred Stock, all 16,700 outstanding shares ($1.67 million aggregate par value) of its 4.72% Series Preferred Stock, all 1,200,000 outstanding depositary shares ($30 million aggregate stated value) each representing a 1/4th interest in a share of its 5.25% Series Preferred Stock, all $30 million aggregate principal amount outstanding of its Series G 5.40% Senior Notes due July 1, 2035, and all $125 million aggregate principal amount outstanding of its Series 2009A 5.55% Senior Notes due March 1, 2019.
Southern Power
In May 2018, Southern Power entered into two short-term floating rate bank loans, each for an aggregate principal amount of $100 million, which bear interest based on one-month LIBOR.
In the second quarter 2018, Southern Power repaid $420 million aggregate principal amount of long-term floating rate bank loans and $350 million aggregate principal amount of Series 2015A 1.50% Senior Notes due June 1, 2018.
During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, Southern Power received approximately $148 million of third-party tax equity related to the Gaskell West 1 and Cactus Flats facilities. See Note (J) under "Southern Power" for additional information.
Southern Company Gas
On January 4, 2018, Southern Company Gas issued a floating rate promissory note to Southern Company in an aggregate principal amount of $100 million bearing interest based on one-month LIBOR. On March 28, 2018, Southern Company Gas repaid this promissory note.
Prior to its sale, in the second quarter 2018, Pivotal Utility Holdings caused $200 million aggregate principal amount of gas facility revenue bonds to be redeemed.
In May 2018, Southern Company Gas Capital borrowed $95 million pursuant to a short-term uncommitted bank credit arrangement, guaranteed by Southern Company Gas, bearing interest at a rate agreed upon by Southern Company Gas Capital and the bank from time to time and payable on no less than 30 days' demand by the bank. The proceeds of the loan were used to repay short-term debt. In July 2018, Southern Company Gas Capital repaid this loan.
In July 2018, Nicor Gas agreed to issue $300 million aggregate principal amount of first mortgage bonds in a private placement, $100 million of which was issued in August 2018 and $200 million of which was issued in November 2018.