“Our earnings remain strong through the first half of 1995, reflecting a continued increase in demand for electricity,” Southern Company Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer A.W. Dahlberg said today.

The Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is the parent firm of five electric utilities: Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, Mississippi Power, and Savannah Electric. The Southern Company`s common stock is one of the 20 most widely held corporate stocks in America.

Dahlberg announced that net income for the three months ending June 30, 1995, was $268 million or 40 cents a share, compared with $256 million or 39 cents a share for the same period in 1994.

Earnings for the six months ending June 30, 1995, were $474 million or 71 cents a share, compared with $398 million or 61 cents per share for the same period in 1994.

Earnings for the 12 months ending June 30, 1995, were $1.07 billion or $1.62 a share, compared with $972 million or $1.51 a share for the 12-month period ending June 30, 1994.

Earnings for the six months and 12 months ending June 30, 1994, were affected by a $60 million after-tax charge or 9 cents a share for work force reduction programs at Georgia Power and Southern Company Services.

Reviewing operations, Dahlberg said electricity use by retail customers in The Southern Company`s service area increased 3.4 percent to 60.3 billion kilowatt-hours during the first six months of 1995, compared with the same period in 1994. In-home electricity needs were up 2.5 percent to 17.6 billion kilowatt-hours. Electricity consumption by commercial customers — offices, stores, and other non-manufacturing firms — gained 3.5 percent to 17.0 billion kilowatt-hours. Industrial energy use increased 4.1 percent to 25.3 billion kilowatt-hours.

Total sales of electricity to customers of The Southern Company — including sales to other utilities — were up 1.7 percent to 68.8 billion kilowatt-hours for the first half of 1995.