Welcome to our dedicated page for Southern news (Ticker: SO), a resource for investors and traders seeking the latest updates and insights on Southern stock.
The Southern Company reports news about an energy provider serving 9 million customers through electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, Southern Power, PowerSecure, fiber optics and telecommunications services. Recurring updates cover earnings, dividend actions and operating developments across Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Mississippi Power, Southern Power and Southern Company Gas.
Company news also includes Georgia Power matters before the Georgia Public Service Commission, including resource planning, capacity procurement, solar resources, transmission and distribution upgrades, grid reliability programs, storm readiness and customer safety communications. PowerSecure updates focus on distributed energy solutions such as utility-scale battery storage, solar generation, backup power and resiliency projects.
Mississippi Power Chairman, President and CEO Anthony Wilson has announced his retirement for summer 2025 after more than 40 years with Mississippi Power and Southern Company. Under Wilson's leadership, the company has achieved significant milestones in safety and reliability, earning recognition from the Southeastern Electric Exchange and Edison Electric Institute.
During Mississippi Power's centennial year, the company has experienced substantial growth, recently securing contracts with two customers totaling approximately 600 MW, which will lead to over $10 billion of investment in southeast Mississippi. Wilson, who began his career with Mississippi Power in 1984, has been instrumental in the company's development, serving more than 192,000 customers across 23 southeast Mississippi counties.
Alabama Power, a Southern Company (NYSE:SO) subsidiary, launches the 26th season of its Renew Our Rivers (ROR) environmental cleanup program starting March 1, 2025. The initiative plans to engage 5,000 volunteers across 28 scheduled cleanup events through October 31.
Building on its 25-year legacy of removing 13.4 million pounds of debris from Alabama waterways through 104,000 volunteers, the program saw significant success in 2024 with 3,400 volunteers removing 107 tons of trash. ROR Coordinator Mike Clelland reports increased volunteer recruitment, particularly among lake associations, with growing participation from students, scout groups, and community members post-pandemic.
The cleanup schedule spans multiple locations including Valley Creek, Lake Eufaula, Logan Martin, and various other waterways across Alabama.
Southern Company (SO) reported Q4 2024 earnings of $534 million ($0.49 per share), down from $855 million ($0.78 per share) in Q4 2023. However, full-year 2024 earnings increased to $4.4 billion ($4.02 per share) from $4.0 billion ($3.64 per share) in 2023.
Operating revenues showed positive growth, with Q4 2024 revenues reaching $6.3 billion, up 4.9% from Q4 2023. Full-year 2024 revenues increased 5.8% to $26.7 billion compared to $25.3 billion in 2023.
The company's adjusted earnings growth was driven by higher utility revenues, partially offset by increased non-fuel operations and maintenance expenses, interest expense, depreciation and amortization, and income taxes.
Southern Company has announced the election of Jimmy Etheredge as an independent director, effective April 1, 2025. Etheredge brings significant leadership experience, having served as CEO of Accenture North America from September 2019 to August 2023, where he led an 80,000-member team.
Prior to his CEO role, Etheredge was Senior Managing Director of US Southeast at Accenture from December 2016 to September 2019. His career at Accenture began in 1985, becoming a partner in 1997 and an executive partner in 2011. Throughout his tenure, he has advised utilities industry clients both domestically and internationally.
A Georgia Tech graduate with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, Etheredge currently serves on multiple boards, including the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta as deputy chair, Encora Digital , and various non-profit organizations.
Georgia Power has filed its 2025 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) detailing strategies to meet growing energy demands in Georgia. The company projects approximately 8,200 megawatts (MW) of electrical load growth over the next six years, with a 2,200 MW increase by 2030 compared to 2023 projections.
Key proposals include: power uprates at Plants Hatch and Vogtle adding 112 MW of carbon-free energy; upgrades to Plant McIntosh adding 268 MW capacity; extended operation of coal and natural gas units through 2034; modernization of 9 hydroelectric plants; and procurement of 4,000 MW of renewable resources by 2035, expanding the renewable portfolio to approximately 11,000 MW.
The plan also includes transmission improvements across 1,000+ miles of lines and enhanced customer programs focusing on energy efficiency and income-qualified assistance.
Alabama Power, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), announced its Alabama Business Charitable Trust will provide $250,000 in emergency bill assistance to help Alabamians affected by Winter Storms Cora and Enzo. This funding is additional to the Trust's annual $1 million energy bill assistance support.
The emergency funds will be distributed through community action agencies and Project Share, in partnership with the Salvation Army. Eligible applicants must have income at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines, ranging from $37,650 annually for single-person households to $131,800 for eight-person households. The assistance can be used for various energy costs including gas, electric, kerosene, wood, and propane for January 2025.
Southern Company (SO) has declared its regular quarterly dividend of 72 cents per share on its common stock. The dividend will be payable on March 6, 2025, to shareholders of record as of February 18, 2025. This announcement marks a significant milestone in the company's history, as it has maintained or increased its quarterly dividend payments for 77 consecutive years, demonstrating a long-standing commitment to providing consistent returns to shareholders.
Georgia Power, Southern Company's (NYSE: SO) largest electric subsidiary, is preparing for Winter Storm Enzo's sub-freezing temperatures across Georgia. The company has shared essential resources and tips to help customers manage energy consumption and stay safe during severe weather conditions.
The company recommends several energy-saving measures: maintaining heating systems (which account for 50% of winter energy usage), ensuring proper insulation (saving up to 10% on energy usage), setting thermostats to 68 degrees or lower (each degree reduction saves 3-4% in energy consumption), and utilizing natural heat through window management.
Georgia Power has established multiple communication channels for customers during severe weather, including Outage Alerts, an Outage & Storm Center, an interactive Outage Map, and their mobile app. The company serves 2.7 million customers across 155 Georgia counties with a diverse energy generation mix including nuclear, coal, natural gas, and renewables.
Southern Company (SO) has announced it will release its Q4 2024 earnings report on February 20, 2025, before market open at 7:30 a.m. EST. Following the release, CEO Christopher C. Womack and CFO Daniel S. Tucker will host a conference call at 1 p.m. EST to discuss the results with financial analysts.
The company will provide public access to the conference call through a live webcast available on their investor relations website. A replay of the webcast will remain accessible on the same platform for 12 months following the event.
PowerSecure, a Southern Company subsidiary, announced a collaboration with Edged Energy to provide critical electrical and mechanical systems for data centers, marking the opening of Edged's first North American facility in Atlanta. The partnership, spanning six years, introduces innovative sustainable data center solutions.
The Atlanta Campus features PowerSecure PowerBlocks with EPA-certified Tier 4 Final ultra-low emissions backup generation, autonomous frequency control, and a 24.9 kV medium voltage distribution system. The facility is designed as a 168 MW critical IT campus, comprising a completed 27 MW data center, a 100 MW facility under construction, and a planned 41 MW facility.
Edged's data centers are optimized for energy efficiency, reducing overhead energy consumption by 74% portfolio-wide. The facilities feature advanced cooling systems supporting high-density AI workloads without water consumption for cooling, demonstrating commitment to sustainability and efficient operations.