Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Expires: February 28, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*
Clark Henry A III
2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 10/19/2009
3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
SOUTHERN CO [SO]

(Last)        (First)        (Middle)
600 MADISON AVENUE, 24TH FLOOR
4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)
__ X __ Director                            _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below)          _____ Other (specify below)

(Street)
NEW YORK, NY 10022

(City)              (State)              (Zip) 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)
_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Southern Company Common Stock 0 D

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivate Security
(Instr. 4) 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(MM/DD/YYYY) 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4) 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5) 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)

Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Explanation of Responses:

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships

Director 10% Owner Officer Other

Clark Henry A III
600 MADISON AVENUE
24TH FLOOR
NEW YORK, NY 10022 X

Signatures

Patricia L. Roberts, Attorney-in-Fact for Henry A. Clark, III 10/21/2009

^** Signature of Reporting Person Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).

** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).

Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.

Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
Southern Company Common Stock	0	D

POWER OF ATTORNEY

The undersigned, a director of The Southern Company, hereby makes, constitutes,

and appoints Patricia L. Roberts, Melissa K. Caen and G. Edison Holland, Jr., my agents
and attorneys-in-face, for the limited purpose of signing on my behalf, and causing to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission Form ID and Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership of Securities, Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership, and Annual Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership, on Forms 3, 4 and 5,
respectively, and any appropriate amendment or amendments thereto.

This power of attorney shall remain in effect until my obligation to file the aforementioned reports as a director of The Southern Company ceases, unless earlier
revoked by me by written document delivered to the Corporate Secretary of The Southern Company.

Effective the 20th of October, 2009

Henry A. Clark III

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Southern Company Common Stock	0	D

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Clark Henry A III 600 MADISON AVENUE 24TH FLOOR NEW YORK, NY 10022	X

Signatures
Patricia L. Roberts, Attorney-in-Fact for Henry A. Clark, III		10/21/2009
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.