Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 906

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 1
Chunk 906
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 the PPAs will be renewed at the end of their respective terms or on what terms any renewals may be made. If a Registrant is unable to replace expiring PPAs with an acceptable new revenue contract, it may be required to sell the power produced by the facility at wholesale prices and be exposed to market fluctuations and risks, or the affected site may temporarily or permanently cease operations, which may result in impairment charges. The failure to satisfy minimum operational or availability requirements under these PPAs, including PPAs related to projects under construction, could result in payment of damages or termination of the PPAs.

Increased competition from other companies that supply energy or generation and storage technologies and changes in customer demand for energy could negatively impact Southern Company and its subsidiaries.

The traditional electric operating companies operate under a business model that invests capital to serve customers and recovers those investments and earns a return for investors through state regulation. Southern Power's business model is primarily focused on investing capital or building energy assets to serve creditworthy counterparties using a bilateral contract model. A key premise of these business models is that generating power at power plants achieves economies of scale and produces power at a competitive cost.

Customers and stakeholders are increasingly focused on the Registrants' ability to meet rapidly changing demands for new and varied products, services, and offerings. Additionally, the risk of global climate change continues to shape customers' and stakeholders' sustainability goals and energy needs.

New technologies such as distributed energy resources and microgrids and increased customer and stakeholder demand for sustainable assets could change the type of assets constructed and/or the methods for cost recovery. Advances in these technologies or changes in laws or regulations could reduce the cost of distributed generation storage technologies or other alternative methods of producing power to a level that is competitive with that of most power generation production or result in smaller-scale, more fuel efficient, and/or more cost effective distributed generation that allows for increased self-generation by customers. Broader use of distributed generation by energy customers may also result from customers' changing perceptions of the merits of utilizing existing generation technology or tax or other economic incentives. Additionally, state PSCs or legislatures may modify certain aspects of the traditional electric operating companies' businesses as a result of these advances in technology, which may provide for further competition from these alternative sources of generation. 

It is also possible that rapid advances in power generation technology could reduce the value of the current electric generating facilities owned by the traditional electric operating companies and Southern Power. Changes in technology could also alter the channels through which electric customers buy or utilize power.

Southern