Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 574

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7
Chunk 574
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 (as indicated in the section descriptions herein). Different assumptions and measurements could produce estimates that are significantly different from those recorded in the financial statements. Senior management has reviewed and discussed these critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of Southern Company's Board of Directors.

Utility Regulation (Southern Company, Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Mississippi Power, and Southern Company Gas)

The traditional electric operating companies and the natural gas distribution utilities are subject to retail regulation by their respective state PSCs or other applicable state regulatory agencies and wholesale regulation by the FERC. These regulatory agencies set the rates the traditional electric operating companies and the natural gas distribution utilities are permitted to charge customers based on allowable costs, including a reasonable ROE. As a result, the traditional electric operating companies and the natural gas distribution utilities apply accounting standards which require the financial statements to reflect the effects of rate regulation. Through the ratemaking process, the regulators may require the inclusion of costs or revenues in periods different than when they would be recognized by a non-regulated company. This treatment may result in the deferral of expenses and the recording of related regulatory assets based on anticipated future recovery through rates or the deferral of gains or creation of liabilities and the recording of related regulatory liabilities. The application of the accounting standards for rate regulated entities also impacts their financial statements as a result of the estimates of allowable costs used in the ratemaking process. These estimates may differ from those actually incurred by the traditional electric operating companies and the natural gas distribution utilities; therefore, the accounting estimates inherent in specific costs such as depreciation, AROs, and pension and other postretirement benefits have less of a direct impact on the results of operations and financial condition of the applicable Registrants than they would on a non-regulated company. Additionally, a regulatory agency may disallow recovery of all or a portion of certain assets. See Note 2 to the financial statements under "Southern Company Gas – Infrastructure Replacement Programs and Capital Projects – Nicor Gas" for information regarding the disallowance of certain capital investments at Nicor Gas.

Revenues related to regulated utility operations as a percentage of total operating revenues in 2024 for the applicable Registrants were as follows: 89% for Southern Company, 98% for Alabama Power, 95% for Georgia Power, 99% for Mississippi Power, and 87% for Southern Company Gas.

As reflected in Note 2 to the financial statements, significant regulatory assets and liabilities have been recorded. Management reviews the ultimate recoverability of these regulatory assets and any requirement to