ATLANTA - May 16, 2007 - Georgia Power today elected Jimmy Tallent, president and CEO of United Community Banks, Inc. to its board of directors.

United Community Banks, Inc. (UCBI) is Georgia’s third largest bank holding company, serving communities across north, metro and coastal Georgia, western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Under Tallent’s guidance, UCBI grew from one bank with assets of $42 million in 1984 to currently a $7.2 billion bank holding company that includes 26 community banks and 103 offices.

A native of Habersham County, Georgia, Tallent was listed among the Atlanta Business Chronicle’s 2006 “Who’s Who in Banking and Finance.” Georgia Trend magazine has named him one of the “100 Most Influential Georgians” for the past four consecutive years.

Tallent is a member of the Commission for a New Georgia and a director for the State Board for the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. In addition, he is a trustee of Young Harris College and a director of the Georgia Cities Foundation.

“Jimmy’s strong financial experience, and his commitment to customer service and the business community make him a perfect fit as a member of our board of directors,” said Mike Garrett, Georgia Power president and CEO. “He will be a tremendous asset to our company, and we are pleased to welcome him as a member of our board.”

Tallent attended Piedmont College and is a graduate of the Georgia Banking School in Athens.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of Southern Company, one of the nation’s largest generators of electricity. The company is an investor-owned, tax-paying utility with rates well below the national average. Georgia Power serves 2.3 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties.