At their meeting in Atlanta today, the directors of The Southern Company declared a regular quarterly dividend of 30½ cents a share on the company’s common stock, payable Sept. 6 to stockholders of record Aug. 7.

This marks the 191st consecutive quarter — dating back to 1948 — that The Southern Company will have paid a dividend to its common shareholders.

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 stock is one of the 20 most widely held corporate stocks in America.