Southern Co. Chairman, President and Chief Executive David Ratcliffe made $6.31 million in 2007, an 8 percent increase in pay and bonus compensation over 2006, according to the company's annual proxy statement filed late Wednesday.

Ratcliffe, who has worked at Southern since 1971, received $1.07 million in salary and $2.90 million from two company incentive plans. He also made $2.22 million in stock options.

"Southern Co. rewards its employees for jobs well done, and Mr. Ratcliffe has presided over another year of excellent reliability and total shareholder return and so forth," Southern spokesman Jason Cuevas said.

Southern's pay and bonuses are "in the middle of the pack" compared with other utility and energy companies nationwide, Cuevas said.

Georgia Power Co. President Michael Garrett's total pay and compensation dropped 5 percent to $1.91 million. Between salary and bonuses, Garrett made $2.02 million in 2006.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution calculates executive compensation using salary, bonus, non-equity incentives, above-market pension returns, the estimated value of stock and options granted in the year, and other miscellaneous compensation, such as money paid for personal financial planning.

Southern will hold its annual shareholders meeting May 28 in Pine Mountain.

Shareholders will be asked to elect 12 members to the board as well as vote on two amendments and a stockholder proposal. It asks Southern to publicly say it is the second-largest U.S. emitter of carbon dioxide, and link that to global warming.

Cuevas said the company is urging shareholders not to adopt that proposal.