ATLANTA – Southern Company continues to see successful results from its comprehensive demand-side management and energy efficiency programs currently in use across its system. This summer, Southern Company established consecutive new record peaks for its system on July 25 and 26. On each of those days, Southern Company was able to reduce its peak demand by more than 400 megawatts, the equivalent of the peak demand for 80,000 homes, as a result of these programs.

“Demand-side management is a valuable resource for reducing the need for new generation,” said Leonard Haynes, chief marketing officer for Southern Company. “Over the years, we’ve been able to educate customers about the importance of energy efficiency to modify electricity usage, while customizing our demand-side programs to meet their individual needs.”

As part of its demand-side management efforts, Southern Company offers a range of innovative rates to its business customers including real time and time-of-use pricing options. Under these programs, customers pay higher prices for their electricity when they operate during periods of high demand. Customers manage their energy use based on pricing information received from their utility.

While the bulk of the demand-side reductions come from business customers, Southern Company subsidiaries also offer programs ideal for residential customers. Popular residential programs include Power Credit and GoodCents Select. Power Credit is available at Georgia Power and Savannah Electric. GoodCents Select is offered by Gulf Power.

With Power Credit, a switch is installed on a customer’s home central cooling unit. When power usage is at its peak, a signal is sent to the switch, temporarily reducing the run time of the air conditioner. Customers receive an initial $20 credit off their electric bill when they are installed on the program and a $2 credit each time the switch is activated.

With GoodCents Select, customers have the option of managing their energy use with a company-provided programmable thermostat. This programmable thermostat allows customers to easily control their central cooling and heating system, their electric water heater and another major appliance, such as a swimming pool pump. GoodCents Select customers receive a special rate that is lower during most hours of the year than the standard residential rate for participating in the program.

“Each individual customer decides whether or not they are a good fit to participate in a demand-side management program,” said Haynes. “Participants are then able to modify their energy use to meet program requirements. We have found that customers are more comfortable when they’re able to exercise some control over program options.”

Southern Company also works to build awareness among its customers on the benefits of energy efficiency, as well as specific steps customers can take to save money and energy. The company promotes the use of energy efficiency appliances, improved thermal standards in homes and general conservation ideas for homes and businesses. Additionally, Southern Company is a partner with ENERGY STAR®, the government’s nationally recognized program focused on helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency.

With more than 4 million customers and nearly 39,000 megawatts of generating capacity, Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the premier super-regional energy company in the Southeast and a leading U.S. producer of electricity. Southern Company owns electric utilities in four states, a growing competitive generation company and a competitive retail natural gas business, as well as fiber optics and wireless communications. Southern Company brands are known for excellent customer service, high reliability and retail electric prices that are 15 percent below the national average. Southern Company has been ranked the nation’s top energy utility in the American Customer Satisfaction Index six years in a row. Southern Company has more than 500,000 shareholders, making its common stock one of the most widely held in the United States. Visit the Southern Company Web site at www.southerncompany.com.

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