Schedule H, Line 4i - Schedule of Investments (Details) - EBP 002	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2025 USD ($)
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Entity tax identification number	63-0274273
Plan number	002
Total investments	$ 10,251,147,235
Southern Company Common Stock
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	3,133,901,439
Self-Directed Investments
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	937,064,574
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: BIF Money Market
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	4,453,394
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: BlackRock, EAFE Equity Fund
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	1,303,720,721
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: BlackRock, Russell 2000 Fund
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	939,183,252
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: Northern Trust, Collective Aggregate Bond Index Fund
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	928,704,966
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: Participants
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 140,211,462
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: Participants \| Minimum
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Interest rate	3.25%
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: Participants \| Maximum
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Interest rate	10.50%
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: Short-Term Investment Fund
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 526,355,429
Investment, Identifier [Axis]: Vanguard, Institutional 500 Index Fund
EBP, Schedule of Asset Held for Investment [Line Items]
Total investments	$ 2,337,551,998

The Tax Identification Number (TIN), also known as an Employer Identification Number (EIN), is a unique 9-digit value assigned by the IRS.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Exchange Act
-Number 240
-Section 12
-Subsection b-2

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- Definition

Current value of investment, excluding plan interest in master trust, in schedule of asset held for investment of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)). Includes, but is not limited to, derivative, investment measured at net asset value per share as practical expedient, and insurance contract.

+ References

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- Definition

Interest rate on investment held by employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule I))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (3)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (4)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)(i)(B)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (2)(i)(B)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 6
-Paragraph d
-Subparagraph (1)(ii)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

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- Definition

Plan number of employee stock purchase, saving, or similar plan (employee benefit plan (EBP)), in three-digit numeric format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule I))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule II))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
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-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule III))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (3)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (4)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 6
-Paragraph d
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-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 6
-Paragraph d
-Subparagraph (2)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
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-Publisher DOL-EBSA

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
-Subparagraph (1)(i)(D)
-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 962
-SubTopic 205
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.6A-05(a)(Schedule I))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477804/962-205-S99-1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
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-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
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-Publisher DOL-EBSA

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Name Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974
-Number 2520
-Section 103
-Subsection 10
-Paragraph b
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-Publisher DOL-EBSA

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