Exhibit 24(a)


January 20, 1997


A. W. Dahlberg, W. L. Westbrook, Tommy Chisholm, and Wayne Boston


Dear Sirs:

         The Southern Company proposes to file or join in the filing of
statements under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission with respect to the following: (1) the filing
of this Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
1996, and (2) the filing of Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports
on Form 8-K during 1997.
         The Southern Company and the undersigned directors and officers of said
Company, individually as a director and/or as an officer of the Company, hereby
make, constitute and appoint each of you our true and lawful Attorney for each
of us and in each of our names, places and steads to sign and cause to be filed
with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the foregoing
said Annual Report on Form 10-K and any appropriate amendment or amendments
thereto and any necessary exhibits, said Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any
necessary exhibits and any Current Reports on Form 8-K and any necessary
exhibits.

                                          Yours very truly,

                                          THE SOUTHERN COMPANY


                                          By   /s/A. W. Dahlberg
                                                  A. W. Dahlberg
                                             Chairman, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer



<PAGE>



                                      - 2 -




  /s/John C. Adams                         /s/William A. Parker, Jr.
   John C. Adams                             William A. Parker, Jr.



  /s/A. D. Correll                         /s/William J. Rushton, III
   A. D. Correll                            William J. Rushton, III



 /s/A. W. Dahlberg                            /s/Gloria M. Shatto
   A. W. Dahlberg                               Gloria M. Shatto



/s/Paul J. DeNicola                           /s/Gerald J. St. Pe'
  Paul J. DeNicola                             Gerald J. St. Pe'



  /s/Jack Edwards                             /s/Herbert Stockham
    Jack Edwards                                Herbert Stockham



/s/H. Allen Franklin                           /s/W. L. Westbrook
 H. Allen Franklin                              W. L. Westbrook



 /s/Bruce S. Gordon                            /s/Tommy Chisholm
  Bruce S. Gordon                                Tommy Chisholm



/s/L. G. Hardman III                           /s/W. Dean Hudson
 L. G. Hardman III                               W. Dean Hudson



 /s/Elmer B. Harris
  Elmer B. Harris


<PAGE>
Extract from minutes of meeting of the board of directors of The Southern
Company.


                               - - - - - - - - - -

          RESOLVED:  That for the purpose of signing the Company's Annual Report
     on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1996, and 1997 Form 10-Q's and
     Form  8-K's and of  remedying  any  deficiencies  with  respect  thereto by
     appropriate amendment or amendments, this Company, the members of its board
     of directors, and its officers, are authorized to give their several powers
     of attorney to A. W. Dahlberg, W. L. Westbrook,  Tommy Chisholm,  and Wayne
     Boston.

                               - - - - - - - - - -

                  The undersigned officer of The Southern Company does hereby
certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution duly and
regularly adopted at a meeting of the board of directors of The Southern
Company, duly held on January 20, 1997, at which a quorum was in attendance and
voting throughout, and that said resolution has not since been rescinded but is
still in full force and effect.


Dated  March 21, 1997                          THE SOUTHERN COMPANY


                                               By   /s/Tommy Chisholm
                                                      Tommy Chisholm
                                                        Secretary