Segment and Related Information - Gas Revenues (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 23,495	$ 23,031	$ 19,896
Southern Company Gas
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	3,909	3,920	1,652
Southern Company Gas \| Gas Distribution Operations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	3,155	3,024	1,266
Southern Company Gas \| Gas marketing services
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	568	860	354
Southern Company Gas \| Other Gas Revenue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total operating revenues	$ 186	$ 36	$ 32

Amount, including tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value-added and excise.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130539-203045

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130545-203045

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109196051&loc=SL49130543-203045

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration