RETIREMENT BENEFITS (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Components of the net periodic benefit costs for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019 are presented in the following tables.



Three Months Ended March 31, 2020	Southern Company			Alabama Power			Georgia Power			Mississippi Power			Southern Power			Southern Company Gas
	(in millions)
Pension Plans
Service cost	$	94		$	22		$	24		$	4		$	2		$	8
Interest cost	108			25			33			5			1			8
Expected return on plan assets	(275		)	(66		)	(87		)	(13		)	(3		)	(19		)
Amortization:
Prior service costs	1			—			—			—			—			(1		)
Regulatory asset	—			—			—			—			—			4
Net (gain)/loss	67			18			22			3			1			2
Net periodic pension cost (income)	$	(5	)	$	(1	)	$	(8	)	$	(1	)	$	1		$	2
Postretirement Benefits
Service cost	$	5		$	2		$	1		$	—		$	—		$	—
Interest cost	13			3			5			—			—			2
Expected return on plan assets	(18		)	(7		)	(7		)	—			—			(2		)
Amortization:
Regulatory asset	—			—			—			—			—			2
Net (gain)/loss	1			—			1			—			—			(1		)
Net periodic postretirement benefit cost	$	1		$	(2	)	$	—		$	—		$	—		$	1



Three Months Ended March 31, 2019	Southern Company			Alabama Power			Georgia Power			Mississippi Power			Southern Power			Southern Company Gas
	(in millions)
Pension Plans
Service cost	$	73		$	17		$	19		$	3		$	2		$	6
Interest cost	123			28			39			6			1			9
Expected return on plan assets	(221		)	(51		)	(73		)	(10		)	(2		)	(15		)
Amortization:
Prior service costs	—			—			—			—			—			(1		)
Regulatory asset	—			—			—			—			—			3
Net (gain)/loss	30			9			11			1			—			1
Net periodic pension cost (income)	$	5		$	3		$	(4	)	$	—		$	1		$	3
Postretirement Benefits
Service cost	$	5		$	1		$	1		$	—		$	—		$	1
Interest cost	17			4			7			1			—			2
Expected return on plan assets	(16		)	(6		)	(6		)	—			—			(2		)
Amortization:
Prior service costs	1			1			—			—			—			—
Regulatory asset	—			—			—			—			—			2
Net (gain)/loss	(1		)	—			—			—			—			(1		)
Net periodic postretirement benefit cost	$	6		$	—		$	2		$	1		$	—		$	2