Capacity Payments

No definition available.

Name:	so_CapacityPayments
Namespace Prefix:	so_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The proportionate share of interest (percent) in a jointly owned utility plant.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 980
-SubTopic 360
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SAB Topic 10.C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115995737&loc=d3e659983-123033

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the recorded obligation to transfer funds in the future for fixed or minimum amounts or quantities of goods or services at fixed or minimum prices (for example, as in take-or-pay contracts or throughput contracts).

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 440
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=77896938&loc=d3e25383-109308

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationDueAfterFifthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationDueInFifthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationDueInFourthYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationDueInSecondYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of the recorded unconditional purchase obligation maturing in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationDueWithinOneYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_JointlyOwnedUtilityPlantAxis=so_MeagPowerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=so_GeorgiaPowerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RecordedUnconditionalPurchaseObligationByCategoryOfItemPurchasedAxis=so_PlantVogtleNuclearUnitsOneAndTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

CONTINGENCIES, COMMITMENTS, AND GUARANTEES - Commitments (Details) - Georgia Power - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
MEAG Power
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Percent ownership	5.00%
Plant Vogtle Units 1 and 2
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Capacity payments	$ 6	$ 8	$ 9
Recorded unconditional purchase obligation	56
2020	5
2021	5
2022	4
2023	3
2024	4
2025 and thereafter	$ 35