Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-25
Form Type: 424B5
Source: 0000092122-25-000022
Chunk: 46

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-25
Form: 424B5
Chunk 46
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 time to time, Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP acts as counsel to affiliates of the Company for some matters.

### EXPERTS
The consolidated financial statements, and the related financial statement schedule, incorporated in this Prospectus by reference from the Form 10-K, and the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting have been audited by Deloitte & Touche LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, as stated in their reports, which are incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule have been so incorporated in reliance upon the reports of such firm given upon their authority as experts in accounting and auditing.

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### PROSPECTUS

#### The Southern Company

#### Common Stock

#### Senior Notes

#### Junior Subordinated Notes

#### Stock Purchase Contracts

#### Stock Purchase Units
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We will provide the specific terms of these securities in supplements to this Prospectus. You should read this Prospectus and the applicable Prospectus Supplement carefully before you invest.

The Southern Company’s common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “SO.”

See “Risk Factors” on page 1 for information on certain risks related to the purchase of securities offered by this Prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this Prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

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February 16, 2024

### ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This Prospectus is part of a registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) using a “shelf” registration process under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”). Under the shelf process, The Southern Company (the “Company”) may sell, in one or more transactions,

| l |     | common stock (the “Common Stock”),                            |
| l |     | senior notes (the “Senior Notes”),                            |
| l |     | junior subordinated notes (the “Junior Subordinated Notes”),  |
| l |     | stock purchase contracts (the “Stock Purchase Contracts”), or |
| l |     | stock purchase units (the “Stock Purchase Units”).            |

This Prospectus provides a general description of those securities. Each time the Company sells securities, the Company will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the