<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the Form
10-Q for March 31,  1996,  and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such
financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000092122
<NAME> THE SOUTHERN COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                               3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                           DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                                MAR-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                   23,003,231
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                  1,291,541
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                       2,788,394
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                     2,632,872
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                              29,716,038
<COMMON>                                                     3,351,498
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                    1,915,094
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                          3,504,507
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                               8,771,099
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                          197,000 
<PREFERRED>                                                  1,332,203 
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                         7,172,129 
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                           1,356,596
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                      223,113 
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                                 931,992
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                   97,413 
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                            0 
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                    150,104 
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                 2,699 
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                               9,481,690 
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                               29,716,038 
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                    2,415,618 
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                           165,951 
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   1,832,330 
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                   1,998,281 
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                        417,337
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                              26,499
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                 443,836
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                       189,468
<NET-INCOME>                                                   254,368
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                     21,493
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                  232,875
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                       211,081
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                            0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                         401,355
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                     0.35
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                        0