<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule  contains summary  financial  information  extracted from the Form
10-Q for June 30,  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>                                                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                         DEC-31-1995
<PERIOD-END>                                              JUN-30-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                                 PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                                  23,085,272
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                                 1,305,465
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                                      3,366,014
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                                    2,584,109
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                                      0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                             30,340,860
<COMMON>                                                    3,368,245
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                                   1,987,058
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                                         3,580,409
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                              8,935,712
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                         197,000
<PREFERRED>                                                 1,257,203
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                                        7,066,323
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                          1,361,084
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                                     262,649
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                              1,228,778
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                                 184,948
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                                      75,000
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                                   149,427
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                                2,816
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                              9,619,920
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                              30,340,860
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                                   4,954,186
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                                          384,828
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                  3,683,495
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                                  4,068,323
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                                       885,863
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                                             52,394
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                                938,257
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                      374,922
<NET-INCOME>                                                  563,335
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                    43,200
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                                 520,135
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                                      422,353
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                                           0
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                                        889,165
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                                    0.78
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                       0