SOUTHERN CO

Rate Structure and Cost Recovery Plans

The rates and service regulations of the traditional electric operating companies are uniform for each class of service throughout their respective retail service territories. Rates for residential electric service are generally of the block type based upon KWHs used and include minimum charges. Residential and other rates contain separate customer charges. Rates for commercial service are also of the block type and, for large customers, the billing demand is generally used to determine capacity and minimum bill charges. These large customers' rates are generally based upon usage by the customer and include rates with special features to encourage off-peak usage. Additionally, Alabama Power and Mississippi Power are generally allowed by their respective state PSCs to negotiate the terms and cost of service to large customers, subject to final state PSC approval.

The traditional electric operating companies recover certain costs through a variety of forward-looking, cost-based rate mechanisms. Fuel and net purchased energy costs are recovered through specific fuel cost recovery provisions. These fuel cost recovery provisions are adjusted to reflect increases or decreases in such costs as needed or on schedules as required by the respective PSCs. Approved compliance, storm damage, and certain other costs are recovered at Alabama Power and Mississippi Power through specific cost recovery mechanisms approved by their respective PSCs. Certain similar costs at Georgia Power are recovered through various base rate tariffs as approved by the Georgia PSC. Costs not recovered through specific cost recovery mechanisms are recovered at Alabama Power and Mississippi Power through annual, formulaic cost recovery proceedings and at Georgia Power through periodic base rate proceedings.

See Note 2 to the financial statements in Item 8 herein for a discussion of rate matters and certain cost recovery mechanisms. Also see "Integrated Resource Planning" herein for additional information.

The traditional electric operating companies and Southern Power Company and certain of its generation subsidiaries are authorized by the FERC to sell power to non-affiliates, including short-term opportunity sales, at market-based prices. Specific FERC approval must be obtained with respect to a market-based contract with an affiliate.

Mississippi Power provides service under long-term contracts with rural electric cooperative associations and a municipality located in southeastern Mississippi under requirements cost-based electric tariffs which are subject to regulation by the FERC. The contracts with these wholesale customers represented 13.9% of Mississippi Power's total operating revenues in 2024.

Southern Company Gas' natural gas distribution utilities are subject to regulation and oversight by their respective state regulatory agencies. Rates charged to customers vary according to customer class (residential, commercial, or industrial) and rate jurisdiction. These agencies approve rates designed to provide the opportunity to generate revenues to recover all prudently-incurred costs, including a return on rate base sufficient to pay interest on debt and provide a reasonable ROE.

With the exception of Atlanta Gas Light, the earnings of the natural gas distribution utilities can be affected by customer consumption patterns that are largely a function of weather conditions and price levels for natural gas. The natural gas distribution utilities have weather or revenue normalization mechanisms that mitigate revenue fluctuations from customer consumption changes. Atlanta Gas Light operates in a deregulated environment in which Marketers rather than a traditional utility sell natural gas to end-use customers and earns revenue by charging rates to its customers based primarily on monthly fixed charges that are set by the Georgia PSC.

In addition to natural gas cost recovery mechanisms, other cost recovery mechanisms and regulatory riders, which vary by utility, allow recovery of certain costs, such as those related to infrastructure replacement programs as well as environmental remediation, energy efficiency plans, and bad debts.

See Note 2 to the financial statements under "Southern Company Gas" in Item 8 herein for a discussion of rate matters and certain cost recovery mechanisms.

Integrated Resource Planning

Each of the traditional electric operating companies continually evaluates its electric generating resources in order to ensure that it maintains a cost-effective and reliable mix of resources to meet the existing and future demand requirements of its customers. In addition, each year the Southern Company system engages in a scenario planning process, developing scenarios which look out over a 30-year horizon. In 2024, scenarios included a wide range of fuel prices, load growth, and CO 2 prices starting between $0 and $50 per metric ton of CO 2 emitted and escalating over the 30-year horizon. See MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS – FUTURE EARNINGS POTENTIAL – "Environmental Matters" in Item 7 herein for a discussion of existing and potential environmental regulations that may impact the future generating resource needs of the traditional electric operating companies, as well as a discussion of the Southern Company system's continued generating fleet transition.

Triennially, Alabama Power provides an IRP report to the Alabama PSC. This report overviews Alabama Power's resource planning process and contains information that serves as the foundation for certain decisions affecting Alabama Power's portfolio of supply-side and demand-side resources. The IRP report facilitates Alabama Power's ability to provide reliable and cost-effective electric service to customers, while accounting for the risks and uncertainties inherent in planning for resources sufficient to meet expected customer demand. Under State of Alabama law, a CCN must be obtained from the Alabama PSC before Alabama Power constructs any new generating facility, unless such construction is an ordinary extension of an existing system in the usual course of business. Alabama Power provided its most recent IRP to the Alabama PSC during 2022. On October 30, 2024, Alabama Power filed a petition for a CCN with the Alabama PSC for authorization to procure additional generating capacity through the acquisition of the Lindsay Hill Generating Station. Alabama Power expects to complete the acquisition by the end of the third quarter 2025. See Note 2 to the financial statements under "Alabama Power – Petition for Certificate of Convenience and Necessity" in Item 8 herein for additional information.

Triennially, Georgia Power must file an IRP with the Georgia PSC that specifies how it intends to meet the future electric service needs of its customers through a combination of demand-side and supply-side resources. The Georgia PSC, under state law, must certify any new demand-side or supply-side resources for Georgia Power to receive cost recovery. Once certified, the lesser of actual or certified construction costs and purchased power costs is recoverable through rates. Certified costs may be excluded from recovery only on the basis of fraud, concealment, failure to disclose a material fact, imprudence, or criminal misconduct. In 2022, the Georgia PSC approved Georgia Power's 2022 IRP, as modified by a stipulation among Georgia Power, the staff of the Georgia PSC, and certain intervenors and as further modified by the Georgia PSC. On April 16, 2024, the Georgia PSC approved Georgia Power's updated IRP as modified by a stipulation among Georgia Power, the staff of the Georgia PSC, and certain intervenors. On January 31, 2025, Georgia Power filed its triennial IRP with the Georgia PSC. The ultimate outcome of this matter cannot be determined at this time. See Note 2 to the financial statements under "Georgia Power – Integrated Resource Plans" and " – Rate Plans" in Item 8 herein for additional information.

Triennially, Mississippi Power must file an IRP with the Mississippi PSC, as well as an update at approximately the mid-point of the three-year cycle. The IRP must include long-term plans to best meet the needs of electric utility customers through a combination of demand-side and supply-side resources and considering transmission needs. The IRP filing is not intended to supplant or replace the Mississippi PSC's existing regulatory processes for petition and approval of CPCNs for new generating resources. On April 26, 2024, Mississippi Power filed its 2024 IRP with the Mississippi PSC. The Mississippi PSC did not note any deficiencies within the prescribed 120-day review period; therefore, the filing is concluded. The 2024 IRP included a schedule to retire Plant Watson Unit 4 and Plant Greene County Units 1 and 2 and to retire early Plant Daniel Units 1 and 2, all by the end of 2028, which is consistent with the completion of Mississippi Power's affiliate PPA with Georgia Power. On January 9, 2025, Mississippi Power notified the Mississippi PSC of its intent to extend the retirement date of Plant Daniel Unit 2 and potentially extend the retirement dates of other fossil steam units beyond their current 2028 retirement dates in order to serve recently signed economic development loads of approximately 600 MWs. Mississippi Power must also file an annual report on energy delivery improvements, the latest of which was filed in November 2024. See Note 2 to the financial statements under "Mississippi Power – Integrated Resource Plans" and " – Plant Daniel" in Item 8 herein for additional information.