Southern Company ranked Highest in Overall Customer Satisfaction for electric service to midsize business customers in the southern United States, according to the latest J.D. Power and Associates study.

In a formal presentation on May 8 at Southern Company’s headquarters in Atlanta, Alan Destribats, executive director of the utility practice at J.D. Power and Associates, will present Leonard Haynes, chief marketing officer of Southern Company the 2001 award.

This is the second consecutive year that Southern Company has received the award based on interviewed representatives from more than 7,200 midsize businesses throughout the United States. Customers gave Southern Company the highest ratings for company image, price and value, and power quality and reliability. The company also received the highest customer satisfaction index score among all utilities included in the study.

“We are honored to again receive this recognition from J.D. Power and Associates. Southern Company consistently obtains high marks in customer satisfaction, and we will continue to put our customers first and work hard to stay on top,” said Haynes. “Southern Company is committed to providing high reliability and keeping retail electric prices 15 percent below the national average,” Haynes added.

Headquartered in Agoura Hills, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting and customer satisfaction. The firm’s quality and satisfaction measurements are based on actual customer responses.

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a super-regional energy company with more than 32,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity in the Southeast. It is one of the largest producers of electricity in the U.S. Southern Company is the parent firm of Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power, Savannah Electric, Southern Nuclear, Southern Company Energy Solutions, Southern LINC and Southern Telecom. Southern Company also owns a growing competitive generation business in the Southeast. Southern Company brands are synonymous with excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are 15 percent below the national average. With more than 500,000 shareholders, Southern Company common stock is one of the most widely held stocks in the United States.