Jacob "Jake" Horton vice-president of Southern Company's Gulf Power Unit was allegedly murdered in order to prevent him from accusing the Board of Directors of making illegal payments to politicians

Currently, Southern Company is building the first new nuclear units in the U.S. in 30 years at Plant Vogtle near Augusta, Georgia; building one of the largest photovoltaic plants in the U.S. at Cimarron, New Mexico; building one of the largest biomass plants at Nacogdoches, Texas; and installing over four million smart meters by 2012.