SOUTHERN CO
For the period ended Jun 30, 2024. Filed Aug 1, 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.
Jun 30, 2024 · Filed Aug 1, 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
On May 8, 2024, the Alabama PSC issued a consent order to lower Rate ECR from 3.270 cents per KWH to 3.015 cents per KWH, or approximately $135 million annually, effective with July 2024 billings. See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Alabama Power – Rate ECR" herein for additional information.
Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 Construction and Start-Up Status
Georgia Power placed Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 in service on July 31, 2023 and April 29, 2024, respectively. Since placing Unit 4 in service, Southern Nuclear has evaluated the remaining expected site demobilization costs and other contractor obligations and reduced the remaining estimate to complete forecast by approximately $21 million. Accordingly, Georgia Power recorded a pre-tax credit to income of approximately $21 million ($16 million after tax) in the second quarter 2024 to recognize capital costs previously charged to income. Georgia Power's share of the total project capital cost forecast, including completion of site demobilization and remaining contractor obligations, is $10.7 billion. See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Georgia Power – Nuclear Construction – Cost and Schedule" 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.
See Note (B) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Georgia Power – Nuclear Construction – Regulatory Matters" herein for additional information.
Integrated Resource Plan
On April 16, 2024, the Georgia PSC approved Georgia Power's updated IRP (2023 IRP Update) as modified by a stipulation 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 Plans" 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. On May 28, 2024, the FERC issued an order accepting Mississippi Power's request effective May 29, 2024, subject to refund, and establishing hearing and settlement judge procedures.
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 six months ended June 30, 2024, Southern Power completed construction of and placed in service the 150-MW South Cheyenne solar facility. In addition, Southern Power continued construction of the 200-MW first phase and the 180-MW second phase of the Millers Branch solar facility. Southern Power also committed to expand construction by an additional 90 MWs through a third phase of the Millers Branch solar project. The third phase of the facility's output is contracted under a 15-year PPA and commercial operation is projected to occur in the fourth quarter 2026. See Note (K) to the Condensed Financial Statements under "Southern Power" herein for additional information.
At June 30, 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.
Atlanta Gas Light
On July 2, 2024, the Georgia PSC approved a stipulation related to Atlanta Gas Light's triennial Integrated Capacity and Delivery Plan filing, filed on February 1, 2024, which allows capital investments totaling approximately
$0.6 billion annually for the years 2025 through 2027 with related revenue requirement recovery through either the annual GRAM filing or the System Reinforcement Rider surcharge adjustment. Additionally, the Georgia PSC approved a surcharge recovery mechanism for capital projects related to municipal, county, and Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) infrastructure work. Rate changes associated with the new surcharge, if approved, will be based on requests filed annually on September 1, with new rates to become effective January 1 of the following year. Finally, the stipulation requires Atlanta Gas Light to include an alternate rate plan for the three-year period of 2025 through 2027 with its 2025 GRAM filing.
On July 31, 2024, Atlanta Gas Light submitted its annual GRAM filing with the Georgia PSC, which includes projections for the System Reinforcement Rider and municipal, county, and GDOT surcharge adjustments. The filing requests a traditional annual base rate increase of $120 million. In accordance with the approved Integrated Capacity and Delivery Plan filing, Atlanta Gas Light also included two alternative annual base rate increases for 2025 that provide for lower increases in 2025 with subsequent increases in 2026 and 2027. Resolution of the GRAM filing is expected by December 31, 2024, with new rates effective January 1, 2025. The ultimate outcome of this matter cannot be determined at this time.
Virginia Natural Gas
On June 7, 2024, the Virginia Commission approved the extension of Virginia Natural Gas' SAVE program through 2029. The extension of the program includes investments of $70 million in each year from 2025 through 2029, with a potential variance of up to $5 million allowed for the program, for a maximum total investment over the five-year extension of $355 million.
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