Income Taxes

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 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

Southern Company had federal ITC and PTC carryforwards (primarily related to Southern Power) totaling $0.9 billion at June 30, 2022 compared to $1.2 billion at December 31, 2021.

The federal PTC and ITC carryforwards begin expiring in 2032, but are expected to be fully utilized by 2025. 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, the purchase of rights to additional PTCs of Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 pursuant to certain joint ownership agreements, an increase in Georgia Power's ownership interest percentage in Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4, 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.

Southern Company

Southern Company's effective tax rate was 18.7% for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to 10.7% for the corresponding period in 2021. The effective tax rate increase was primarily due to higher pre-tax earnings and an adjustment related to a prior year state tax credit carryforward at Georgia Power in 2022.

Georgia Power

Georgia Power's effective tax rate was 16.4% for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to a tax benefit rate of (6.9)% for the corresponding period in 2021. The effective tax rate increase was primarily due to higher pre-tax earnings and an adjustment related to a prior year state tax credit carryforward in 2022.

Mississippi Power

Mississippi Power's effective tax rate was 18.8% for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to 12.6% 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 in 2022.

Southern Power

Southern Power's effective tax rate was 11.2% for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to a tax benefit rate of (12.8)% for the corresponding period in 2021. The effective tax rate increase was primarily due to higher pre-tax earnings in 2022 and a change in state apportionment methodology resulting from tax legislation enacted by the State of Alabama in the first quarter 2021, partially offset by higher wind PTCs in 2022.