SOUTHERN CO
For the period ended Mar 31, 2024. Filed May 2, 2024.
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A company's report for each of its first three quarters. The financial statements are not audited. It shows how the business has moved since the last annual report, and what management says changed.
Mar 31, 2024 · Filed May 2, 2024
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Overview
AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
OVERVIEW
Southern Company is a holding company that owns all of the common stock of three traditional electric operating companies (Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Mississippi Power), Southern Power, and Southern Company Gas and owns other direct and indirect subsidiaries. The primary businesses of the Southern Company system are electricity sales by the traditional electric operating companies and Southern Power and the distribution of natural gas by Southern Company Gas. Southern Company's reportable segments are the sale of electricity by the traditional electric operating companies, the sale of electricity in the competitive wholesale market by Southern Power, and the sale of natural gas and other complementary products and services by Southern Company Gas. Southern Company Gas' reportable segments are gas distribution operations, gas pipeline investments, and gas marketing services. See Note (L) to the Condensed Financial Statements herein for additional information on segment reporting. Alabama Power, Georgia Power, and Mississippi Power each operate with one reportable business segment, since substantially all of their business is providing electric service to customers. Southern Power also operates its business with one reportable business segment, the sale of electricity in the competitive wholesale market. For additional information on the Registrants' primary business activities, see BUSINESS – "The Southern Company System" in Item 1 of the Form 10-K.
The Registrants continue to focus on several key performance indicators. For the traditional electric operating companies and Southern Company Gas, these indicators include, but are not limited to, customer satisfaction, plant availability, electric and natural gas system reliability, and execution of major construction projects. Southern Company Gas also continues to focus on several operating metrics, including Heating Degree Days, customer count, and volumes of natural gas sold. Southern Company Gas measures weather and the effect on its business using Heating Degree Days. Generally, increased Heating Degree Days result in higher demand for natural gas on Southern Company Gas' distribution system. For Southern Power, key performance indicators include, but are not limited to, the equivalent forced outage rate and contract availability to evaluate operating results and help ensure its ability to meet its contractual commitments to customers. In addition, Southern Company and the Subsidiary Registrants focus on earnings per share and net income, respectively, as a key performance indicator.
Recent Developments
Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 Construction and Start-Up Status
Georgia Power placed Plant Vogtle Unit 3 in service on July 31, 2023 and placed Plant Vogtle Unit 4 in service on April 29, 2024 (each with electric generating capacity of approximately 1,100 MWs), in each of which it holds a 45.7% ownership interest. Georgia Power's share of the total project capital cost forecast, including demobilizing the site after Unit 4's in-service date, is $10.8 billion. See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Georgia Power – Nuclear Construction" herein for additional information.
Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 Regulatory Matters
Georgia Power included in retail rate base $5.462 billion of construction and capital costs as well as $647 million of associated retail rate base items effective with the April 29, 2024 in-service date for Unit 4, pursuant to the approved Prudency Stipulation. Annual retail base revenues increased approximately $730 million and the average retail base rates were adjusted by approximately 5% (net of the elimination of the NCCR tariff described below) effective May 1, 2024.
Further, as included in the approved Prudency Stipulation, since commercial operation for Unit 4 was not achieved by March 31, 2024, Georgia Power's ROE used to determine the NCCR tariff and calculate AFUDC was reduced to zero effective April 1, 2024. Effective May 1, 2024, following commercial operation of Unit 4, Georgia Power's NCCR tariff was eliminated and related financing costs are included in Georgia Power's general retail revenue requirements and collected through retail base rates.
See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Georgia Power – Nuclear Construction – Regulatory Matters" herein for additional information.
On April 16, 2024, the Georgia PSC approved Georgia Power's updated IRP (2023 IRP Update) as modified by a stipulated agreement among Georgia Power, the staff of the Georgia PSC, and certain intervenors, which includes the authority to develop, own, and operate up to 1,400 MWs from three simple cycle combustion turbines at Plant Yates. See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Georgia Power – Integrated Resource Plan" herein for additional information.
On April 26, 2024, Mississippi Power filed its 2024 IRP with the Mississippi PSC. The filing includes a schedule to retire Plant Watson Unit 4 (268 MWs) and Plant Greene County Units 1 and 2 (206 MWs based on 40% ownership) and to retire early Plant Daniel Units 1 and 2 (502 MWs based on 50% ownership), all by the end of 2028. The 2024 IRP is subject to review by the Mississippi PSC and is expected to conclude in the third quarter 2024.
On March 29, 2024, Mississippi Power filed a request with the FERC for an $8 million increase in annual wholesale base revenues under the MRA tariff and requested an effective date of May 29, 2024. On April 19, 2024, Cooperative Energy challenged the new rates in a filing with the FERC.
The ultimate outcome of these matters cannot be determined at this time.
See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Mississippi Power" herein for additional information.
During the three months ended March 31, 2024, Southern Power continued construction of the 200-MW Millers Branch solar facility and began construction of the 180-MW second phase of the solar project. The second phase of the facility's output is contracted under seven 15-year PPAs and commercial operation is projected to occur in the second quarter 2026. Southern Power also continued construction of the 150-MW South Cheyenne solar facility. Subsequent to March 31, 2024, Southern Power completed construction of and placed in service the 150-MW South Cheyenne solar facility. See Note (K) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Southern Power" herein for additional information.
At March 31, 2024, Southern Power's average investment coverage ratio for its generating assets, including those owned with various partners, based on the ratio of investment under contract to total investment using the respective facilities' net book value (or expected in-service value for facilities under construction) as the investment amount was 97% through 2028 and 89% through 2033, with an average remaining contract duration of approximately 12 years.
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