Income Taxes

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2022

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

INCOME TAXES

See Note 10 to the financial statements in Item 8 of the Form 10-K for additional tax information.

Current and Deferred Income Taxes

Tax Credit and Net Operating Loss Carryforwards

The utilization of each Registrant's estimated tax credit and state net operating loss carryforwards and related valuation allowances could be impacted by numerous factors, including the acquisition of additional renewable projects, an increase in Georgia Power's ownership interest percentage in Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, the purchase of rights to additional PTCs of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 pursuant to certain joint ownership agreements, changes in taxable income projections, and potential income tax rate changes. See Note (B) and Note 2 to the financial statements in Item 8 of the Form 10-K under "Georgia Power – Nuclear Construction" for additional information on Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4.

Effective Tax Rate

Southern Company's effective tax rate is typically lower than the statutory rate due to employee stock plans' dividend deduction, non-taxable AFUDC equity at the traditional electric operating companies, flowback of excess deferred income taxes at the regulated utilities, and federal income tax benefits from ITCs and PTCs primarily at Southern Power.

Details of significant changes in the effective tax rate for the applicable Registrants are provided herein.

Mississippi Power

Mississippi Power's effective tax rate was 16.4% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to 8.4% for the corresponding period in 2021. The effective tax rate increase was primarily due to a decrease in the flowback of excess deferred income taxes beginning in April 2021.

Southern Power

Southern Power's effective tax benefit rate was (80.0)% for the three months ended March 31, 2022 compared to (17.3)% for the corresponding period in 2021. The effective tax rate decrease was primarily due to lower pre-tax earnings and higher wind PTCs in 2022, partially offset by changes in state apportionment methodology resulting from tax legislation enacted by the State of Alabama in February 2021.