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ASSET RETIREMENT OBLIGATIONS - Details of AROs Included in the Balance Sheets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2020
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year |  | $ 10,684 | $ 9,786
Liabilities incurred |  | 26 | 19
Liabilities settled |  | (456) | (442)
Accretion |  | 407 | 409
Cash flow revisions |  | 1,026 | 912
Balance at end of year |  | 11,687 | 10,684
Alabama Power |  |  |
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year |  | 3,974 | 3,540
Liabilities incurred |  | 0 | 0
Liabilities settled |  | (202) | (219)
Accretion |  | 156 | 152
Cash flow revisions |  | 406 | 501
Balance at end of year |  | 4,334 | 3,974
Georgia Power |  |  |
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year |  | 6,265 | 5,784
Liabilities incurred |  | 3 | 10
Liabilities settled |  | (210) | (185)
Accretion |  | 236 | 238
Cash flow revisions | $ 435 | 530 | 418
Balance at end of year |  | 6,824 | 6,265
Mississippi Power |  |  |
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year |  | 176 | 190
Liabilities incurred |  | 0 | 0
Liabilities settled |  | (24) | (22)
Accretion |  | 7 | 8
Cash flow revisions | $ 31 | 31 | 0
Balance at end of year |  | 190 | 176
Southern Power |  |  |
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year |  | 95 | 89
Liabilities incurred |  | 23 | 9
Liabilities settled |  | 0 | 0
Accretion |  | 5 | 4
Cash flow revisions |  | 8 | (7)
Balance at end of year |  | $ 131 | $ 95

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- Definition The carrying amount of a liability for an asset retirement obligation. An asset retirement obligation is a legal obligation associated with the disposal or retirement of a tangible long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction or development, or the normal operations of a long-lived asset, except for certain obligations of lessees. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition Amount of accretion expense recognized during the period that is associated with an asset retirement obligation. Accretion expense measures and incorporates changes due to the passage of time into the carrying amount of the liability. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392676&loc=d3e7480-110848 + Details
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- Definition Amount of asset retirement obligations incurred during the period. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition Amount of asset retirement obligations settled, or otherwise disposed of, during the period. This may include asset retirement obligations transferred to third parties associated with the sale of a long-lived asset. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) in the asset retirement obligation from changes in the amount or timing of the estimated cash flows associated with the settlement of the obligation. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 35 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392603&loc=d3e7123-110846 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 410 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6392692&loc=d3e7535-110849 + Details
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- Definition A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period. + References No definition available. + Details
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