Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 2737

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 4
Chunk 2737
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 Note 4 to the financial statements for additional information.

Acquisition Accounting (Southern Power)

Southern Power may acquire generation assets as part of its overall growth strategy. At the time of an acquisition, Southern Power will assess if these assets and activities meet the definition of a business. Acquisitions that meet the definition of a business are accounted for under the acquisition method, whereby the identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interests (including any intangible assets, primarily related to acquired PPAs) are recognized and measured at fair value. Assets 

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acquired that do not meet the definition of a business are accounted for as an asset acquisition. The purchase price of each asset acquisition is allocated based on the relative fair value of assets acquired.

Determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management judgment and Southern Power may engage independent valuation experts to assist in this process. Fair values are determined by using market participant assumptions and typically include the timing and amounts of future cash flows, incurred construction costs, the nature of acquired contracts, discount rates, power market prices, and expected asset lives. For potential or successful acquisitions that meet the definition of a business, any due diligence or transaction costs incurred are expensed as incurred. If the acquisition is an asset acquisition, direct and incremental transaction costs can be capitalized as a component of the cost of the assets acquired.

See Note 13 to the financial statements for additional fair value information and Note 15 to the financial statements for additional information on recent acquisitions.

Variable Interest Entities (Southern Power)

Southern Power has partnerships with varying ownership structures. Upon entering into these arrangements, membership interests and other variable interests are evaluated to determine if the legal entity is a VIE. If the legal entity is a VIE, Southern Power will assess if it has both the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE's economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE, making it the primary beneficiary. Making this determination may require significant management judgment.

If Southern Power is the primary beneficiary and is considered to have a controlling ownership, the assets, liabilities, and results of operations of the entity are consolidated. If Southern Power is not the primary beneficiary, the legal entity is generally accounted for under the equity method of accounting. Southern Power reconsiders