Company: SOJE
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form Type: 10-K
Source: 0000092122-25-000018
Chunk: 3460

Company: SOUTHERN CO
Filing Date: 2025-02-20
Form: 10-K
Item: Item 7
Chunk 3460
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 finalizing an alternative provision for closure by removal that will allow certifying completion of closure of a unit while conducting groundwater monitoring and corrective action during post-closure care. Numerous industry groups, electric generators, and states filed petitions for review challenging the rule in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. On August 19, 2024, an industry petitioner filed 

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

a motion seeking to stay the legacy CCR rule pending judicial review, which was denied by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit on November 1, 2024. On November 5, 2024, the industry petitioner filed an emergency stay application with the U.S. Supreme Court, which was denied on December 11, 2024. On February 13, 2025, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit placed the legacy CCR rule challenges in abeyance for 120 days so that the new Trump Administration can determine how to proceed with the litigation. The ultimate impact of the final rule and associated legal matters cannot be determined at this time; however, it may result in significant compliance costs.

Based on requirements for closure and monitoring of landfills and surface impoundments pursuant to the CCR Rule and applicable state rules, the traditional electric operating companies have periodically updated, and expect to continue periodically updating, their related cost estimates and ARO liabilities for each CCR unit as additional information related to compliance monitoring, closure methodologies and strategies, schedules, and/or costs becomes available. Some of these updates have been, and future updates may be, material. Additionally, the closure designs and plans in the States of Alabama and Georgia are subject to approval by environmental regulatory agencies. Absent continued recovery of ARO costs through regulated rates, results of operations, cash flows, and financial condition for Southern Company and the traditional electric operating companies could be materially impacted. See FINANCIAL CONDITION AND LIQUIDITY – "Cash Requirements" herein, Notes 2 and 3 to the financial statements under "Georgia Power – Rate Plans" and "General Litigation Matters – Alabama Power," respectively, and Note 6 to the financial statements for additional information.

Greenhouse Gases

On May 9, 2024, the EPA published the final GHG rules for existing fossil fuel-fired steam electric generating units and new fossil fuel-fired