Southern Company

What does Southern Company own?
Southern Company owns a portfolio of regulated utility subsidiaries including Georgia Power (electric utility serving 2.7 million customers in Georgia), Alabama Power (electric utility serving 1.5 million customers in Alabama), Mississippi Power (electric utility serving 200,000 customers in Mississippi), Southern Power (wholesale power generation), and Southern Company Gas, which operates Atlanta Gas Light, Nicor Gas, and Virginia Natural Gas. Together, these subsidiaries serve over 9 million customers across multiple states.

Is Southern Company publicly traded?
Yes. Southern Company is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under ticker SO. The company is owned by its shareholders, with no single controlling shareholder. Major institutional shareholders include Vanguard Group, BlackRock, and State Street Corporation.

When was Southern Company founded?
Southern Company was founded in 1945 as a holding company for various utility operations in the southeastern United States. The company has grown through consolidation of regional utility companies and strategic acquisitions over the decades.

How many customers does Southern Company serve?
Southern Company serves over 9 million customers through its subsidiaries. This includes approximately 4.4 million electric customers served by Georgia Power, Alabama Power, and Mississippi Power, and approximately 4.4 million natural gas customers served by Atlanta Gas Light, Nicor Gas, and Virginia Natural Gas.

What are Southern Company's main subsidiaries?
Southern Company's main subsidiaries include Georgia Power, Alabama Power, and Mississippi Power (regulated electric utilities), Southern Power (wholesale power generation), and Southern Company Gas, which operates Atlanta Gas Light, Nicor Gas, and Virginia Natural Gas (natural gas distribution).

Who leads Southern Company?
Christopher C. Womack serves as Chairman, President, and CEO of Southern Company. He assumed the role in 2023 and is the first African American to lead a major U.S. energy company. Womack previously served as CEO of Southern Company Gas and as executive vice president of Southern Company.

Southern Company was founded in 1945 as a holding company for various utility operations in the Southeast. The company grew through the consolidation of regional utility companies and strategic acquisitions throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Its formation created one of the largest electric utility holding companies in the United States, combining the resources and infrastructure of multiple state-level utilities.

Over the decades, Southern Company expanded its operations significantly. The company invested heavily in nuclear power generation, operating multiple nuclear power plants including the Farley, Hatch, and Vogtle facilities. Plant Vogtle, located near Augusta, Georgia, became particularly significant when Southern Company completed Units 3 and 4, marking the first new nuclear units built in the United States in 30 years. Unit 3 began commercial operation in July 2023, and Unit 4 entered commercial operation in April 2024. The Vogtle expansion was a massive infrastructure project, with total costs exceeding $30 billion, more than double the original estimate. Despite the cost overruns, the units provide approximately 2,200 megawatts of carbon-free electricity, enough to power approximately 500,000 homes.

Southern Company has also expanded its natural gas distribution operations through acquisitions. The company acquired Nicor Gas in 2011 for approximately $2.4 billion, expanding its natural gas footprint into Illinois. Virginia Natural Gas was another significant acquisition, extending the company's gas distribution operations into the mid-Atlantic region.

In recent years, Southern Company has focused on the energy transition, investing in renewable energy infrastructure and modernizing its generation portfolio. The company has developed significant renewable energy facilities across its service territories, including solar, wind, and battery storage projects. Southern Company has set a goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim target of 50% reduction by 2030.

For full-year 2025, Southern Company reported strong financial results. Operating revenues reached $29.6 billion, up from $26.7 billion in 2024. Net income was $4.3 billion, or $4.01 per share. The company's fourth quarter 2025 results showed operating revenues of $7.7 billion and net income of $1.0 billion, or $0.93 per share. The revenue increase was driven by higher retail revenues at the traditional regulated operating companies, reflecting rate adjustments and load growth.

Southern Company has established comprehensive sustainability initiatives focused on clean energy transition, environmental stewardship, and corporate responsibility. The company has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, with an interim target of reducing emissions 50% by 2030 from 2007 levels.

The company's clean energy transition includes significant investments in nuclear power, renewable energy, and grid modernization. Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, completed in 2023 and 2024, represent the first new nuclear units built in the United States in 30 years and provide 2,200 megawatts of carbon-free electricity. Southern Company has also developed over 14,000 megawatts of renewable energy capacity across its service territories, including solar, wind, and battery storage projects.

Environmental stewardship programs include biodiversity conservation, habitat protection, and water resource management. The company maintains comprehensive environmental management systems and works to minimize the environmental impact of its generation and distribution operations.

Southern Company has been named to FORTUNE's list of the World's Most Admired Companies for multiple consecutive years, including 2025. The company has also received EEI Edison Awards for its subsidiaries' economic development efforts and has been recognized for safety excellence and customer satisfaction.

Southern Company operates in the heavily regulated energy industry and faces scrutiny related to environmental compliance, safety standards, and regulatory approval processes:

Kemper County Energy Facility: Southern Company's Kemper County coal gasification project in Mississippi was one of the most controversial energy projects in recent U.S. history. The project was originally budgeted at $2.4 billion but ultimately cost over $7.5 billion before Mississippi Power abandoned the gasification technology in 2017. The project was plagued by cost overruns, technical failures, and regulatory disputes. Mississippi Power's customers faced significant rate increases, and the controversy led to the resignation of Mississippi Power's CEO. The Kemper facility now operates as a natural gas plant.

Plant Vogtle Cost Overruns: The construction of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 experienced significant cost overruns and delays. The original budget of approximately $14 billion grew to over $30 billion. The project was delayed by several years, with Unit 3 originally scheduled for completion in 2016 but not entering commercial operation until July 2023. The cost overruns led to the bankruptcy of the original primary contractor, Westinghouse Electric Company, in 2017. Georgia Power customers have faced rate increases to cover the project's costs.

Coal Ash Disposal: Southern Company has faced regulatory scrutiny and legal challenges regarding coal ash disposal at its power plants. Environmental groups have sued the company over groundwater contamination from coal ash ponds, and the company has been required to close coal ash impoundments under EPA regulations. The cost of coal ash remediation has been significant.

Regulatory Compliance: Southern Company must navigate complex regulatory environments across multiple state jurisdictions, each with different regulatory frameworks and approval processes. The company must obtain approval from state public service commissions for rate increases, major capital projects, and integrated resource plans. Federal regulation includes compliance with EPA environmental regulations, NRC nuclear safety requirements, and FERC wholesale market rules.