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Purchased power — Total cost of sales

Southern Company Purchased power — Total cost of sales decreased by 2.4% to $244M in Q1 2026 compared to the prior quarter. Year-over-year, this metric declined by 2.4%, from $250M to $244M. This is a positive signal — lower values indicate better performance for this metric.

Analysis

StatementSegment
CategoryEfficiency
SignalLower is better
VolatilityVolatile
First reportedQ1 2016
Last reportedQ1 2026Apr 30, 2026

How to read this metric

An increase may indicate higher reliance on external markets, rising wholesale energy prices, or capacity constraints in internal generation, while a decrease may reflect improved internal generation efficiency or lower market prices.

Detailed definition

This metric represents the total expenditure incurred by the utility to acquire electricity from third-party generators...

Peer comparison

Comparable to 'Purchased Power Expense' or 'Energy Procurement Costs' reported by other vertically integrated utilities and independent power producers.

Metric ID: so_segment_purchased_power_total_cost_of_sales

Historical Data

9 periods
 Q2 '21Q3 '21Q4 '21Q1 '22Q2 '22Q3 '22Q3 '23Q1 '25Q1 '26
Value$217M$288M$266M$232M$408M$645M$207M$250M$244M
QoQ Change+32.7%-7.6%-12.8%+75.9%+58.1%-67.9%+20.8%-2.4%
YoY Change+88.0%+124.0%-67.9%-2.4%
Range$207M$645M
CAGR+6.0%
Avg YoY Growth+35.4%
Median YoY Growth+42.8%

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Southern Company's purchased power — total cost of sales?
Southern Company (SO) reported purchased power — total cost of sales of $244M in Q1 2026.
How has Southern Company's purchased power — total cost of sales changed year-over-year?
Southern Company's purchased power — total cost of sales decreased by 2.4% year-over-year, from $250M to $244M.
What does purchased power — total cost of sales mean?
The total cost paid to external suppliers for electricity purchased to meet customer demand.