<ARTICLE> UT <LEGEND> This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Form 10-Q for March 31, 1997, and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements. </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000041091 <NAME> GEORGIA POWER COMPANY <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1996 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <BOOK-VALUE> PER-BOOK <TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT> 10,292,015 <OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST> 284,245 <TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS> 995,556 <TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES> 1,303,877 <OTHER-ASSETS> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 12,875,693 <COMMON> 344,250 <CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN> 2,135,257 <RETAINED-EARNINGS> 1,658,105 <TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ> 4,137,612 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 500,000 <PREFERRED> 380,456 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET> 3,113,949 <SHORT-TERM-NOTES> 58,400 <LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE> 0 <COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS> 203,438 <LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT> 0 <PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT> 54,155 <CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS> 86,577 <LEASES-CURRENT> 372 <OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB> 4,340,734 <TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB> 12,875,693 <GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE> 958,712 <INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE> 84,649 <OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 694,194 <TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES> 778,843 <OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS> 179,869 <OTHER-INCOME-NET> (1,115) <INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN> 178,754 <TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE> 64,763 <NET-INCOME> 113,991 <PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 7,956 <EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM> 106,035 <COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS> 122,700 <TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS> 0 <CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS> 371,980 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0