The Southern Company

Description

Southern Co (NYSE:SO) is a leading American electricity utility holding company.

The company is engaged in the sale of electricity and is reportedly one of the largest power suppliers in the United States. In addition, it claims to be a significant wholesale electricity provider in the Southeast.

The electricity utility holding company has interest in separate publicly trading entities and operates through the following segments:
• Traditional electricity company unit
• Southern Power
• Southern Gas Company

Traditional operating firms:

The company operates through three wholly-owned traditional and publicly listed electricity companies. The segment caters to retail and wholesale customers in southeastern region of the United States and provides integrated utility services. In addition, the three operating companies are engaged in acquiring energy transmission, generation and distribution facilities. The services are majorly provided in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Southern Power Segment

The Southern Power Company (NYSE: SO/22B, SO/26A) segment engages in the provision of acquiring, ownership, construction, and management of generation assets, including several renewable energy projects.

In addition, the firm also sells electricity in the wholesale market through this unit.

Southern Gas Company Segment

The firm focuses on distributing natural gas from its distribution facilities across Georgia, Tennessee, New Jersey, Illinois, Florida, Virginia, and Maryland.

The holding company, founded in 1945, has stake in the following publicly listed entities:
• Mississippi Power
• Alabama Power Company (NYSE: ALP PR Q)
• Georgia Power Company (NYSE: GPJA)

The company operates its natural gas business through the following platform of companies:
• Virginia Natural Gas
• Southern Gas Company
• Chattanooga Gas
• Atlanta Gas Light
• Nicor Gas

Furthermore, there are also other companies operating under the brand name of Southern Company, including Southern Nuclear, Southern Power, PowerSecure, Southern Telecom, and Southern Linc.

The energy utility company is among various stock market indexes, including S&P 500 and 100 components, and Dow Jones Utility Average.