<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
  <!-- Generated by Workiva -->
  <headerData>
    <submissionType>144</submissionType>
    <filerInfo>
      <filer>
        <filerCredentials>
          <cik>0001573512</cik>
          <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
        </filerCredentials>
      </filer>
      <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>



    </filerInfo>
  </headerData>
  <formData>
    <issuerInfo>
      <issuerCik>0000092122</issuerCik>
      <issuerName>SOUTHERN COMPANY</issuerName>
      <secFileNumber>001-03526</secFileNumber>
      <issuerAddress>
        <com:street1>30 IVAN ALLEN JR BLVD NW</com:street1>
        <com:city>ATLANTA</com:city>
        <com:stateOrCountry>GA</com:stateOrCountry>
        <com:zipCode>30308</com:zipCode>
      </issuerAddress>
      <issuerContactPhone>4045065000</issuerContactPhone>
      <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>KIMBERLY GREENE</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
      <relationshipsToIssuer>
        <relationshipToIssuer>OFFICER</relationshipToIssuer>
      </relationshipsToIssuer>
    </issuerInfo>
    <securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <name>MERRILL LYNCH</name>
        <address>
          <com:street1>3455 PEACHTREE RD NE SUITE 1000</com:street1>
          <com:city>ATLANTA</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>GA</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>30326</com:zipCode>
        </address>
      </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
      <noOfUnitsSold>25000</noOfUnitsSold>
      <aggregateMarketValue>2416750</aggregateMarketValue>
      <noOfUnitsOutstanding>1119391291</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
      <approxSaleDate>03/30/2026</approxSaleDate>
      <securitiesExchangeName>NEW YORK</securitiesExchangeName>
    </securitiesInformation>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>09/05/2024</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>959</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>09/05/2024</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>12/05/2024</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1007</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>12/05/2024</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>03/05/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1217</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>03/05/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/01/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1926</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/01/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/01/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>158</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/01/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/05/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1887</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/05/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/05/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>79</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/05/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/05/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>PERFORMANCE STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>12462</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/05/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/05/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>PERFORMANCE STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>3452</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/05/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/13/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1655</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/13/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <securitiesToBeSold>
      <securitiesClassTitle>COMMON</securitiesClassTitle>
      <acquiredDate>02/13/2025</acquiredDate>
      <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT VEST</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
      <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
      <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
      <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>198</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
      <paymentDate>02/13/2025</paymentDate>
      <natureOfPayment>COMPENSATORY PAYMENT</natureOfPayment>
    </securitiesToBeSold>
    <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>Y</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
    <noticeSignature>
      <noticeDate>03/30/2026</noticeDate>
      <planAdoptionDates>
        <planAdoptionDate>11/26/2025</planAdoptionDate>
      </planAdoptionDates>
      <signature>KIMBERLY GREENE</signature>
    </noticeSignature>
  </formData>
</edgarSubmission>
