<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000092122-24-000071.txt : 20240628
<SEC-HEADER>0000092122-24-000071.hdr.sgml : 20240628
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20240628090344
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000092122-24-000071
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	11-K
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20231231
FILED AS OF DATE:		20240628
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20240628

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SOUTHERN CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000092122
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC SERVICES [4911]
		ORGANIZATION NAME:           	01 Energy & Transportation
		IRS NUMBER:				580690070
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		11-K
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-03526
		FILM NUMBER:		241081658

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		30 IVAN ALLEN JR. BLVD., N.W.
		CITY:			ATLANTA
		STATE:			GA
		ZIP:			30308
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4045065000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		30 IVAN ALLEN JR. BLVD., N.W.
		CITY:			ATLANTA
		STATE:			GA
		ZIP:			30308
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>11-K
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>a2023form11-k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>11-K
<TEXT>
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<title>Document</title></head><body><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_1"></div><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">UNITED STATES</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">__________</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">FORM 11-K</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">FOR ANNUAL REPORTS OF EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE, SAVINGS AND SIMILAR PLANS PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#91;X&#93;  ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">OR</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">&#91;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#93;  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15(d) OF THE</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">For the transition period from&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;to</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Commission File Number 1-3526</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">A.  Full title of the plan and the address of the plan, if different from that of the issuer named below&#58;</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">B. Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">and the address of its principal executive office&#58;</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">THE SOUTHERN COMPANY</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">30 Ivan Allen Jr. Boulevard, NW</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Atlanta, Georgia 30308</font></div><div style="padding-left:18pt;padding-right:18pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_4"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">THE SOUTHERN COMPANY EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:22pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">TABLE OF CONTENTS</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:40pt;text-align:right"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Page</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:100.000%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:91.590%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:6.210%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:13pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:3.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font><br></font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 4.37pt 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">1</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;margin-top:2pt;padding-left:3.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2022 AND FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2023&#58;</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:18.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 4.37pt 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">2</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:18.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 4.37pt 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">3</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:18.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Notes to Financial Statements</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 4.37pt 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">4</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:3.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">SUPPLEMENTARY SCHEDULE AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:18.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Form 5500, Schedule H, Part IV, Line 4i - Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:3.37pt;text-align:right"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">12</font></div></td></tr><tr style="height:17pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:3.35pt;padding-right:2pt"><font><br></font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div style="padding-left:40pt;text-indent:-41pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">NOTE&#58;   All other schedules required by Section 2520.103-10 of the Department of Labor&#8217;s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 have been omitted because they are not applicable.</font></div><div style="padding-left:40pt;text-indent:-41pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:48pt;padding-right:90pt;text-indent:-40pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:99.923%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:98.900%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="border-bottom:0.25pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">EXHIBITS</font></div><div style="margin-top:5pt;padding-left:2.25pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:381.75pt"><tr><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:40.00pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:337.75pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.25pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">23.1</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-bottom:2pt;padding-left:2.25pt;padding-right:2.25pt"><font style="color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline"><a href="ex231202311-k.htm" style="color:#0000ff;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Consent of Warren Averett, LLC</a></font></div></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_7"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:42.48pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="margin-bottom:6pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:120%">Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">To the Plan Administrator and the Southern Company Affiliates&#8217;<br> Benefits Administration Committee</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Opinion on the Financial Statements</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of The Southern Company Employee Savings Plan (the Plan) as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the related statement of changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2023, and the related notes and schedule (collectively referred to as the financial statements). In our opinion, the financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan as of December 31, 2023 and 2022, and the changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2023, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Basis for Opinion</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan&#8217;s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the Plan&#8217;s financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Plan in accordance with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the PCAOB.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud. The Plan is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan&#8217;s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial statements, whether due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis, evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Supplemental Information</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The supplemental information contained in the Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year) has been subjected to audit procedures performed in conjunction with the audits of the Plan's financial statements. The supplemental information is the responsibility of the Plan's management. Our audit procedures included determining whether the supplemental information reconciles to the financial statements or the underlying accounting and other records, as applicable, and performing procedures to test the completeness and accuracy of the information presented in the supplemental information. In forming our opinion on the supplemental information, we evaluated whether the supplemental information, including its form and content, is presented in conformity with the Department of Labor's Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. In our opinion, the supplemental information is fairly stated, in all material respects, in relation to the financial statements as a whole.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">&#47;s&#47;Warren Averett, LLC</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:112%">We have served as the Plan&#8217;s auditor since 2016.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Atlanta, Georgia</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">June 28, 2024</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="height:42.48pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">1</font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_10"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">The Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:76.09pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:100.000%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:48.535%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:15.688%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.989%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:15.688%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:13.500%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="9" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">December 31,</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2023</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2022</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Investments, at fair value</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">8,264,410,461&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">7,647,834,276&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Notes receivable from participants</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">126,397,574&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">120,589,661&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Accrued interest</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"><div style="text-align:right"><font><br></font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">46,701&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Cash, non-interest bearing</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">386,036&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">692,550&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net assets available for benefits</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">8,391,194,071&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">7,769,163,188&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">See accompanying notes to financial statements.</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">2</font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">The Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Year Ended December&#160;31, 2023</font></div><div style="padding-left:81.75pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:67.737%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:70.606%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:27.194%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Additions</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Contributions&#58;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 12.27pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Participant</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">272,770,158&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 12.27pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Participant rollovers</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">22,999,149&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 12.27pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Employer</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">129,264,474&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Total contributions</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">425,033,781&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Interest income on notes receivable from participants</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">5,658,380&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:11.27pt;text-indent:-9pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Investment Income</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%"> </font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 12.27pt;text-align:left;text-indent:-9pt;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Interest and dividends</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">254,390,345&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;Net appreciation in fair value of investments</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">625,949,500&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:0.02pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;Total investment income</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">880,339,845&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Total additions</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">1,311,032,006&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:14pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Deductions</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Benefit payments</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">687,772,512&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Administrative expenses</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">1,228,611&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Total deductions</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">689,001,123&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:0.02pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net increase</font></div></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">622,030,883&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net assets available for benefits&#58;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 12.27pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Beginning of year</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">7,769,163,188&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 12.27pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">End of year</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:1pt solid #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:1pt solid #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">8,391,194,071&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:1pt solid #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">See accompanying notes to financial statements.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">3</font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_13"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements</font></div><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-indent:18pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-indent:18pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">      1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Description of the Plan</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">General</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The following description of The Southern Company Employee Savings Plan (the &#8220;Plan&#8221;) is provided for general information purposes only. Readers should refer to the Plan and other documents relating to the Plan for more complete information.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Plan is a defined contribution plan administered by the Southern Company Affiliates&#8217; Benefits Administration Committee (the &#8220;Committee&#8221;), as designated in the Plan. The Committee is appointed by the Board of Directors of Southern Company Services, Inc. (the &#8220;Plan Sponsor&#8221;). The Plan covers substantially all employees and retirees of the following subsidiaries of The Southern Company (the &#8220;Company&#8221;)&#58; Alabama Power Company, Georgia Power Company, Mississippi Power Company, Southern Company Services, Inc., Southern Communications Services, Inc., Southern Power Company, Southern Nuclear Operating Company, Inc., and Southern Company GAS&#8217; affiliated companies (collectively, referred to as the &#8220;Employing Companies&#8221;). The Plan is subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (&#8220;ERISA&#8221;), and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the &#8220;IRC&#8221;).</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Plan Administration</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The trustee and recordkeeper of the Plan are Bank of America, N.A. (the &#8220;Trustee&#8221;) and Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner &#38; Smith Incorporated, respectively.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Participation</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Employees meeting certain criteria, as defined by the Plan, may elect to participate in the Plan as of the first day of any payroll period after the employee&#8217;s first day of employment or as soon as administratively practicable thereafter. Employees who do not make an affirmative election will be automatically enrolled after their first 30 days of employment.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Contributions</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Participants may elect to make before-tax, Roth after-tax, or regular after-tax contributions, or a combination thereof of up to 50% of eligible compensation, as defined by the Plan. Participants may change the percentage of their contributions at any time. Contributions are subject to certain IRC limitations. Participants also may contribute by rolling over to the Plan amounts representing distributions from other qualified defined benefit plans, defined contribution plans, or eligible individual retirement accounts. Participants who attained age 50 before the end of the year are eligible to make catch-up contributions in accordance with limits as prescribed by the IRC.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">4</font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_16"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements </font></div></div><div style="text-indent:-4.5pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Employees who are automatically enrolled are deemed to have elected a default contribution rate of six percent of compensation, provided that eligible employees may elect at any time to change the default elections as otherwise permitted by the terms of the Plan.</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Employing Companies&#8217; contributions (&#8220;Employer Matching Contributions&#8221;) are discretionary and determined by the Board of Directors of the Plan Sponsor. For the year ended December 31, 2023, the Employing Companies contributed, on behalf of the participants, 85% of the first 6% of eligible compensation contributed by the participant.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Board of Directors of the Plan Sponsor reserves the right to discontinue or change the Employer Matching Contributions at any time&#59; however, it has not expressed any intent to make any changes at the present time.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Participant Accounts</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Individual accounts are maintained for each Plan participant. Each participant&#8217;s account is credited with the participant&#8217;s contributions, the Employer Matching Contributions, and an allocation of Plan earnings based on the participant&#8217;s investment elections and charged with certain administrative expenses and any withdrawals and allocations of Plan losses based on the participant&#8217;s investment elections. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant&#8217;s vested account.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Investment Options</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Participants&#8217; contributions may be invested in 1% increments into any of the investment options offered by the Plan. The Plan offers a participant-directed brokerage account that allows participants to purchase publicly traded securities, mutual funds, and fixed income instruments. Participants may change their investment options at any time.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Notes Receivable from Participants</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Participants may borrow from their fund accounts a minimum of $1,000 up to a maximum of $50,000 or 50% of their account balances, whichever is less. The loans are secured by the balance in the participant&#8217;s account and bear interest at rates commensurate with prevailing rates as determined by the Committee. The term of the loan may not be less than 12 months or more than 60 months. However, if the loan is to be used to purchase a principal residence, the term of the loan may be up to 15 years. Generally, principal and interest are paid ratably through payroll deductions. Participants also may repay an outstanding loan in full at any time.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Benefit Payments</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Upon retirement, a participant may elect to receive a lump-sum amount equal to the value of the participant&#8217;s account or annual installments over a period of up to 20 years or may defer the distribution of the account. However, the participant must begin receiving payments by April 1 of the calendar year following the later of the calendar year in which the participant reaches age 70&#189; or terminates with the Company. On termination of service due to death or disability, or for other reasons, a participant or beneficiary may receive the value of his or her account as a lump-sum distribution.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Each participant may elect to receive a cash distribution of all or a portion of the dividends payable on the shares of the Company&#8217;s common stock credited to the participant&#8217;s account as of the record date of the dividend. The dividends payable on the shares of the Company&#8217;s common stock credited to the account of a participant who does not elect to receive a cash distribution are reinvested in the participant&#8217;s account in shares of the Company&#8217;s common stock. Payments of the cash distributions for dividends payable are made as soon as administratively practicable after the payable date of the dividend but no later than 90 days after the end of the Plan year that includes such payable date. A participant&#8217;s election to receive cash distributions of dividends payable on the Company&#8217;s common stock is revoked automatically upon his or her death.</font></div><div style="height:45.36pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">5</font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements </font></div></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-indent:36pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Vesting</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Participants are immediately vested in the total value of their accounts &#8211; both employee and Employer Matching Contributions.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Plan Termination</font></div><div style="text-indent:-6pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Plan Sponsor has the right under the Plan to discontinue Employer Matching Contributions at any time and&#47;or to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions set forth in ERISA. If the Plan is terminated, participants will remain 100% vested in their accounts.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Administrative Expenses</font></div><div style="text-indent:-6pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Brokerage commissions, transfer taxes, and any other expenses resulting from purchases and sales of securities within investment funds are charged to the various investment funds. Commissions on individual securities traded through the participant directed brokerage option are charged to the participant making the trade.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">In addition, investment management fees for all funds, except Company common stock, are charged to Plan assets.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Certain reasonable Plan administration expenses approved in accordance with Plan requirements may be paid from Plan assets. These fees include recordkeeping fees and auditing and consulting fees.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">       2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160; Summary of Significant Accounting Policies</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Basis of Accounting</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (&#8220;GAAP&#8221;).</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Use of Estimates</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires Plan management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, and changes therein and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could differ from those estimates.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:45.36pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">6</font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_19"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:49.5pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements </font></div></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Investment Valuation and Income Recognition</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Plan&#8217;s investments are stated at fair value. Quoted market prices are used to value all readily marketable securities. Common stocks are valued at the closing price reported on the active market on which the individual securities are traded. Money market funds are valued at the quoted price of shares held by the Plan. Common collective trust funds are valued at the net asset value (&#8220;NAV&#8221;) of units of a collective trust fund. The NAV, as provided by the custodian of the respective fund, is used as a practical expedient to estimate fair value. The NAV is based on the fair value of the underlying investments held by the fund less its liabilities. This practical expedient is not used when it is determined to be probable that the fund will sell the investment for an amount different than the reported NAV. Participant transactions (purchases and sales) may occur daily.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Purchases and sales of securities are recorded on a trade-date basis. Interest income is recorded on the accrual basis. Dividend income is recorded on the ex-dividend date. The Plan presents, in the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits, the appreciation in the fair value of its investments, which consists of realized and unrealized gains and losses of those investments.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Payment of Benefits</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">Benefit payments to participants or beneficiaries are recorded upon distribution. Amounts allocated to accounts of persons who have elected to withdraw from the Plan but have not yet been paid were $941,202 as of December 31, 2022.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:112%">Notes Receivable from Participants</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Notes receivable from participants represent participant loans that are recorded at their unpaid principal balance plus any accrued but unpaid interest. Interest income on notes receivable from participants is recorded when it is earned. Related fees are recorded as administrative expenses and are deducted when they are incurred. No allowance for credit losses has been recorded as of December 31, 2023 or 2022. If a participant ceases to make loan repayments and the plan administrator deems the participant loan to be a distribution, the participant loan balance is reduced and a benefit payment is recorded.</font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">      3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Fair Value Measurements</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standard Codification Topic 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes observable and unobservable inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value.  These levels, in order of highest to lowest priority are described below&#58;</font></div><div style="padding-left:1.12pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:99.577%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:7.041%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.568%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:89.991%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Level&#160;1</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities at the measurement date.</font></td></tr><tr style="height:3pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Level 2</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Observable prices that are based on inputs not quoted on active markets but corroborated by market data.</font></td></tr><tr style="height:3pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Level 3</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Prices that are unobservable for the asset or liability and are developed based on the best information available under the circumstances, which might include the Plan Sponsor&#8217;s own data.</font></td></tr></table></div><div style="height:36.36pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">7</font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:49.5pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements </font></div></div><div style="padding-left:1.12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Plan classifies its investments based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.  The following tables set forth, by level within the fair value hierarchy, a summary of the Plan&#8217;s investments measured at fair value as of December 31, 2023 and 2022.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt;padding-left:18pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:97.895%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:39.993%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:16.868%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:2.650%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:14.368%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:2.650%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:16.871%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Level 1</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Level 2</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Total</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:2.77pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">December 31, 2023</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Common Stock</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2,813,722,029</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2,813,722,029</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Money Market Fund</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">4,103,805</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">4,103,805</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Self-Directed Investments</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">640,375,070</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">36,271,768</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">676,646,838</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Total Investments in Hierarchy</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">3,458,200,904</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">36,271,768</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">3,494,472,672</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Investments Valued at NAV</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Common Collective Trusts (1)(2)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">4,769,937,789</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Total Investments at Fair Value</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">8,264,410,461</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Level 1</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Level 2</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%;text-decoration:underline">Total</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:2.77pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">December 31, 2022</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Common Stock</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2,936,349,692</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2,936,349,692</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Money Market Fund</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">1,716,699</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">1,716,699</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Self-Directed Investments</font></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">524,623,847</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">33,557,425</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">558,181,272</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Total Investments in Hierarchy</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">3,462,690,238</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">33,557,425</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">3,496,247,663</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Investments Valued at NAV</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Common Collective Trusts (1)(2)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">4,151,586,613</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:15pt"><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 3.77pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Total Investments at Fair Value</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">7,647,834,276</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr></table></div><div style="margin-top:9pt;padding-left:36pt;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">(1)</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%;padding-left:7.52pt">Certain investments measured at NAV per unit (or its equivalent) have not been classified in the fair value hierarchy.  The fair value amounts presented are intended to permit reconciliation of the fair value hierarchy to the statement of net assets available for benefits.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt;padding-left:36pt;text-indent:-18pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">(2)</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%;padding-left:7.52pt">Measured using the NAV per unit (or its equivalent) as a practical expedient and held in a fund that files a Form 5500, Annual Return&#47;Report of Employee Benefit Plan, as a direct filing entity.</font></div><div style="height:36.36pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">8</font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:49.5pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements </font></div></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">      4.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Income Tax Status</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Internal Revenue Service (the &#8220;IRS&#8221;) has determined and informed the Plan Sponsor by a letter dated September 23, 2015 that the Plan and related trust were designed in accordance with the applicable regulations of the IRC.  Although the Plan has been amended since receiving the determination letter, the Plan Sponsor and the Committee believe that the Plan is currently designed and operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the IRC, and the Plan and related trust continue to be tax-exempt.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">GAAP requires plan management to evaluate tax positions taken by the Plan and recognize a tax liability if the Plan has taken an uncertain position which is more likely than not would not be sustained upon examination by the IRS.  The Plan is subject to routine audits by taxing jurisdictions&#59; however, there are currently no audits for any tax periods in progress.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">      5.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Related-Party and Party-In-Interest Transactions </font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Certain Plan investments are units of common collective trust funds managed by BlackRock, Inc., a company in which the Trustee holds a substantial but not majority ownership interest and, therefore, these transactions qualify as a party-in-interest transactions.  In addition, the Plan paid fees to the recordkeeper and the Trustee which are included in administrative fees in the statement of changes in benefits.  These fees also qualify as party-in-interest transactions.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">At December 31, 2023 and 2022, the Plan held 40,127,239 and 41,119,587 shares, respectively, of common stock of the Company at a fair value of $2,813,722,029 and $2,936,349,692, respectively, with a cost basis of $2,891,812,835 and $2,873,662,757, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Plan recorded related dividend income of $96,212,772.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">      6.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Risks and Uncertainties</font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The Plan provides for various investment options.  Investment securities, in general, are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, credit, and overall market volatility.  Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities, it is reasonably possible that changes in the values of investment securities will occur in the near term and that such changes could materially affect the amounts reported in the financial statements.</font></div><div style="text-indent:-4.5pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">      7.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Reconciliation to Form 5500</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:8pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">The following is a reconciliation of net assets available for benefits per the financial statements to the Form 5500&#58;</font></div><div style="padding-left:29.62pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:88.717%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:63.037%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.662%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:15.968%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.662%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:15.971%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="9" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">December 31,</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2023</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">2022</font></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net assets available for benefits per the financial statements</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">8,391,194,071&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">7,769,163,188&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Less&#58; Deemed loan distributions</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(714,603)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(1,339,206)</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Less&#58; Amounts allocated to withdrawing participants</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#8212;&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(941,202)</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net assets per the Form 5500</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">8,390,479,468&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">7,766,882,780&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:36.36pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">9</font></div></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:49.5pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan</font></div><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Notes to Financial Statements </font></div></div><div style="margin-bottom:8pt"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">The following is a reconciliation of net increase per the financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023 to the net income per Form 5500&#58;</font></div><div style="padding-left:62.25pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:75.868%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:71.480%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:3.133%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:22.087%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Year Ended</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">December 31, 2023</font></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:0.02pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net increase</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">622,030,883&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:0.02pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Add&#58; Amounts allocated to withdrawing participants 2022</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">941,202&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net Change&#58; Deemed Loans</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">624,603&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Net income per Form 5500</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">623,596,688&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-bottom:3pt double #000;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr></table></div><div style="margin-top:8pt;text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">      8.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Subsequent Events</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:justify"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">Management has evaluated the events and transactions that have occurred through June 28, 2024, the date the financial statements were made available for issuance, and noted no items requiring adjustment of the financial statements or additional disclosures.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:36.36pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">10</font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_22"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:24pt;font-weight:700;line-height:139%">Supplemental Schedule</font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_25"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:42.48pt;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:4.5pt"><font><br></font></div></div><div style="margin-bottom:5pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="padding-left:19.5pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:93.866%"><tr><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:2.145%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:18.683%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:40.167%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.572%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:10.646%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.572%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:4.000%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:0.572%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td><td style="width:1.0%"></td><td style="width:15.443%"></td><td style="width:0.1%"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="27" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Southern Company Employee Savings Plan<br></font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="27" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">EIN #63-0274273         Plan #002<br></font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="27" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Schedule H, Line 4i &#8211; Schedule of Assets<br></font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="27" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(Held at End of Year)<br></font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="27" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">December 31, 2023</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font><br></font></div></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(b)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(c)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Identity of Issue,</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Description of Investment Including</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(e)</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Borrower, Lessor,</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Maturity Date, Rate of Interest,</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Shares&#47;</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(d)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Current</font></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">(a)</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">or Similar Party</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Collateral, Par, or Maturity Value</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Units</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Cost</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Value</font></td></tr><tr style="height:13pt"><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:120%">BlackRock</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BIF Money Market</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">4,103,805&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock Russell 2000 Index Fund</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">707,173,500&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock EAFE Equity Index Fund</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">933,487,653&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-bottom:1.5pt;margin-top:2.65pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock Short-Term Investment Fund</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">564,567,936&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Vanguard</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-bottom:1.5pt;margin-top:2.65pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Vanguard Institutional 500 Index Fund</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">1,849,383,564&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Northern Trust</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><div style="margin-bottom:1.5pt;margin-top:2.65pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Northern Trust Collective Aggregate Bond Index Fund</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">715,325,136&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Various</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Self-Directed Accounts</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">676,646,838&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">The Southern Company</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Common Stock</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">2,813,722,029&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:top"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">BlackRock</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:top"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Interest rates ranging from 3.25% to 10.00% with maturity dates through 2025</font></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="2" style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">125,682,971&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#cceeff;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="padding-left:0.02pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Total investments</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="background-color:#ffffff;padding:0 1pt"></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0 2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">$</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">8,390,093,432&#160;</font></td><td style="background-color:#ffffff;border-top:1pt solid #000;padding:2px 1pt 2px 0;text-align:right;vertical-align:bottom"></td></tr><tr style="height:3pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:3pt double #000;padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="24" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">There were no investment assets reportable as acquired and disposed of during the year.</font></td></tr><tr style="height:3pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">*</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Party in interest.</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">**</font></td><td colspan="24" style="padding:2px 1pt 2px 1.02pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:8pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Participant-directed investments, cost information is omitted.</font></td></tr></table></div><div style="height:42.48pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-left:2.25pt;padding-right:2.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">12</font></div></div></div><div id="i3d06c0f0b0184c4cbf73910deb093cb6_28"></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#0f0f0f;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">SIGNATURE</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#181818;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">The Plan</font><font style="color:#181818;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Southern Company Affiliates&#8217; Benefits Administration Committee has duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-top:5pt"><table style="border-collapse:collapse;display:inline-table;margin-bottom:5pt;vertical-align:text-bottom;width:511.50pt"><tr><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:133.75pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:241.75pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td><td style="width:130.00pt"></td><td style="width:1.0pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:63pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:2px 1pt;text-align:center;vertical-align:bottom"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">THE SOUTHERN COMPANY<br>EMPLOYEE SAVINGS PLAN<br></font><font style="font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%"><br><br><br></font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#47;s&#47;James M. Garvie</font></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr><tr style="height:53pt"><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td><td colspan="3" style="border-top:1pt solid #000000;padding:2px 1pt;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom"><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">James M. Garvie</font></div><div style="text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">Senior Vice President, Total Rewards and HR Technology and Chairman of the Southern Company Benefits Administration Committee</font></div></td><td colspan="3" style="padding:0 1pt"></td></tr></table></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div><font style="color:#1c1c1c;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">June 28, 2024</font></div><div><font><br></font></div><div style="height:49.68pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div style="padding-right:-11.25pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Times New Roman',sans-serif;font-size:10pt;font-weight:400;line-height:139%">13</font></div></div></div></body></html>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-23.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>ex231202311-k.htm
<DESCRIPTION>EX-23.1
<TEXT>
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<title>Document</title></head><body><div id="i31cb4fe06e474fb085656c64035c77ba_1"></div><div style="min-height:72pt;width:100%"><div style="text-align:right"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Calibri',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:100%">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:100%">Exhibit 23.1</font></div></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt;text-align:center"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:700;line-height:125%">CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font><br></font></div><div style="margin-bottom:12pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:125%">We consent to the incorporation by reference in Registration Statement Nos. 333-212783, 333-229841 and 333-279103 on Form S-8 of our report dated June 28, 2024, appearing in this Annual Report on Form 11-K of The Southern Company Employee Savings Plan for the year ended December 31, 2023.</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:8pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:125%">&#47;s&#47;Warren Averett, LLC</font></div><div style="margin-bottom:8pt"><font style="color:#000000;font-family:'Arial',sans-serif;font-size:11pt;font-weight:400;line-height:125%">June 28, 2024</font></div><div style="height:72pt;position:relative;width:100%"><div style="bottom:0;position:absolute;width:100%"><div><font><br></font></div></div></div></body></html>
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</SEC-DOCUMENT>
