Derivatives (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]

Energy-Related Derivatives and Interest Rate Derivatives

Energy-Related Derivatives

The traditional operating companies and Southern Power enter into energy-related derivatives to hedge exposures to electricity, gas, and other fuel price changes. However, due to cost-based rate regulations and other various cost recovery mechanisms, the traditional operating companies have limited exposure to market volatility in commodity fuel prices and prices of electricity. Each of the traditional operating companies manages fuel-hedging programs, implemented per the guidelines of their respective state PSCs, through the use of financial derivative contracts, which is expected to continue to mitigate price volatility. Southern Power has limited exposure to market volatility in commodity fuel prices and prices of electricity because its long-term sales contracts shift substantially all fuel cost responsibility to the purchaser. However, Southern Power has been and may continue to be exposed to market volatility in energy-related commodity prices as a result of sales of uncontracted generating capacity.

To mitigate residual risks relative to movements in electricity prices, the traditional operating companies and Southern Power may enter into physical fixed-price or heat rate contracts for the purchase and sale of electricity through the wholesale electricity market. To mitigate residual risks relative to movements in gas prices, the traditional operating companies and Southern Power may enter into fixed-price contracts for natural gas purchases; however, a significant portion of contracts are priced at market.

Energy-related derivative contracts are accounted for under one of three methods:

• Regulatory Hedges — Energy-related derivative contracts which are designated as regulatory hedges relate primarily to the traditional operating companies' fuel hedging programs, where gains and losses are initially recorded as regulatory liabilities and assets, respectively, and then are included in fuel expense as the underlying fuel is used in operations and ultimately recovered through the respective fuel cost recovery clauses.

• Cash Flow Hedges — Gains and losses on energy-related derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, which are mainly used to hedge anticipated purchases and sales and are initially deferred in OCI before being recognized in the statements of income in the same period as the hedged transactions, are reflected in earnings.

• Not Designated — Gains and losses on energy-related derivative contracts that are not designated or fail to qualify as hedges are recognized in the statements of income as incurred.

Some energy-related derivative contracts require physical delivery as opposed to financial settlement, and this type of derivative is both common and prevalent within the electric industry. When an energy-related derivative contract is settled physically, any cumulative unrealized gain or loss is reversed and the contract price is recognized in the respective line item representing the actual price of the underlying goods being delivered.

At September 30, 2012, the net volume of energy-related derivative contracts for natural gas positions for the Southern Company system, together with the longest hedge date over which the respective entity is hedging its exposure to the variability in future cash flows for forecasted transactions and the longest date for derivatives not designated as hedges, were as follows:

	Net Purchased mmBtu	Longest Hedge Date	Longest Non-Hedge Date
	(in millions)
Southern Company	270	2017	2017
Alabama Power	55	2017	—
Georgia Power	107	2017	—
Gulf Power	63	2017	—
Mississippi Power	36	2017	—
Southern Power	9	2012	2017

In addition to the volumes discussed in the above table, the traditional operating companies and Southern Power enter into physical natural gas supply contracts that provide the option to sell back excess gas due to operational constraints. The maximum expected volume of natural gas subject to such a feature is 7 million mmBtu for Southern Company, 1 million mmBtu for Alabama Power, 3 million mmBtu for Georgia Power, 1 million mmBtu for Gulf Power, 1 million mmBtu for Mississippi Power, and 1 million mmBtu for Southern Power.

For cash flow hedges, the amounts expected to be reclassified from OCI to revenue and fuel expense for the next 12-month period ending September 30, 2013 are immaterial for all registrants.

Interest Rate Derivatives

Southern Company and certain subsidiaries also enter into interest rate derivatives to hedge exposure to changes in interest rates. The derivatives employed as hedging instruments are structured to minimize ineffectiveness. Derivatives related to existing variable rate securities or forecasted transactions are accounted for as cash flow hedges where the effective portion of the derivatives' fair value gains or losses is recorded in OCI and is reclassified into earnings at the same time the hedged transactions affect earnings, with any ineffectiveness recorded directly to earnings. Derivatives related to existing fixed rate securities are accounted for as fair value hedges, where the derivatives' fair value gains or losses and hedged items' fair value gains or losses are both recorded directly to earnings, providing an offset with any difference representing ineffectiveness.

At September 30, 2012, the following interest rate derivatives were outstanding:

	Notional Amount		Interest Rate Received		Interest Rate Paid			Hedge Maturity Date	Fair Value Gain (Loss) September 30, 2012
	(in millions)								(in millions)
Cash flow hedges of forecasted transactions
Alabama Power	$	300	3-month LIBOR		2.90	%	(a)	December 2022	$	(32	)
Fair value hedges of existing debt
Southern Company	350		4.15	%	3-month LIBOR  + 1.96%		(a)	May 2014	13
Total	$	650							$	(19	)

(a) Weighted average

The following table reflects the estimated pre-tax gains (losses) that will be reclassified from OCI to interest expense for the next 12-month period ending September 30, 2013, together with the longest date that total deferred gains and losses are expected to be amortized into earnings.

Registrant	Estimated Gain (Loss) to be Reclassified for the 12 Months Ending September 30, 2013			Total Deferred Gains (Losses) Amortized  Through
	(in millions)
Southern Company	$	(16	)	2037
Alabama Power	(2		)	2035
Georgia Power	(3		)	2037
Gulf Power	(1		)	2020
Mississippi Power	(1		)	2022
Southern Power	(9		)	2016

Foreign

Foreign Currency Derivatives

Foreign Currency Derivatives

Southern Company and certain subsidiaries may enter into foreign currency derivatives to hedge exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates arising from purchases of equipment denominated in a currency other than U.S. dollars. Derivatives related to a firm commitment in a foreign currency transaction are accounted for as fair value hedges where the derivatives' fair value gains or losses and the hedged items' fair value gains or losses are both recorded directly to earnings. Derivatives related to a forecasted transaction are accounted for as a cash flow hedge where the effective portion of the derivatives' fair value gains or losses is recorded in OCI and is reclassified into earnings at the same time the hedged transactions affect earnings. Any ineffectiveness is typically recorded directly to earnings; however, Mississippi Power has regulatory approval allowing it to defer any ineffectiveness associated with firm commitments related to the Kemper IGCC to a regulatory asset. The derivatives employed as hedging instruments are structured to minimize ineffectiveness.