Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 776

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7A
Chunk 776
---
% decrease in the average cost of natural gas per KWH generated, and a 3.5% decrease in the volume of KWHs generated by natural gas, partially offset by a 15.6% increase in the volume of KWHs generated by nuclear, a 13.2% increase in the average cost per KWH generated by nuclear, an 8.0% decrease in the volume of KWHs generated by hydro, and a 7.6% increase in the volume of KWHs generated by coal. Also contributing to the decrease was a $55 million credit to nuclear fuel expense at Georgia Power resulting from litigation related to nuclear fuel disposal costs. See Note 3 to the financial statements under "Nuclear Fuel Disposal Costs" for additional information.

Purchased Power

In 2024, purchased power expense was $883 million, which was flat compared to 2023.

Energy purchases will vary depending on demand for energy within the Southern Company system's electric service territory, the market prices of wholesale energy as compared to the cost of the Southern Company system's generation, and the availability of the Southern Company system's generation.

Cost of Other Sales

Cost of other sales increased $66 million, or 38.6%, in 2024 as compared to 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases of $40 million in expenses associated with unregulated power delivery construction and maintenance contracts at Georgia Power and $18 million in expenses associated with energy conservation projects at Georgia Power.

II-11

    Table of Contents                                Index to Financial Statements        COMBINED MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

Other Operations and Maintenance Expenses

Other operations and maintenance expenses increased $432 million, or 9.2%, in 2024 as compared to 2023. The increase was primarily due to increases of $170 million in generation expenses primarily associated with Plant Vogtle Units 3 and 4 being placed in service at Georgia Power, maintenance and scheduled outage expenses, and Rate CNP Compliance-related expenses at Alabama Power, $166 million in transmission and distribution expenses primarily related to line maintenance and billing adjustments with integrated transmission system owners at Georgia Power, $41 million in customer service and sales expenses including bad debt, $36 million related to an impairment loss associated with Alabama Power discontinuing the development of a multi-use commercial facility, $21 million associated with an additional Rate NDR accrual at Alabama Power, $20 million associated with reliability reserve accruals and reliability-related