1
 Southern Co. 's Gulf Power Co. unit may plead guilty this week to charges 
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that it illegally steered company money to politicians through outside vendors, 
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according to individuals close to an investigation of the utility holding company.
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 The tentative settlement between Gulf Power, a Pensacola, Fla., electric company, and federal prosecutors would mark the end of one part of a wide-ranging inquiry of Southern Co. in the past year.
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 A grand jury has been investigating 
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whether officials at Southern Co. conspired to cover up their accounting for spare parts 
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to evade federal income taxes.
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 The grand jury has also been investigating 
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whether Gulf Power executives violated the federal Utility Holding Company Act, 
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which prohibits certain utilities from making political contributions.
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 The individuals said 
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Gulf Power and federal prosecutors are considering a settlement 
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under which the company would plead guilty to two felony charges 
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and pay fines 
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totaling between $500,000 and $1.5 million.
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 Under one count, Gulf Power would plead guilty to conspiring to violate the Utility Holding Company Act.
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 Under the second count, the company would plead guilty to conspiring to evade taxes.
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 The guilty pleas would be made solely by Gulf Power, 
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the individuals said.
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 No employee or vendor would be involved.
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 A spokesman for Southern Co. would say 
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only that discussions are continuing between Gulf Power and federal prosecutors.
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 We have no further developments 
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to report, 
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he said. 
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Officials at Gulf Power couldn't be reached for comment.
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 And prosecutors declined to comment.
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 While Southern Co. has been reluctant to discuss the grand jury investigations, 
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Edward L. Addison, chief executive officer, has said 
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the company is prepared to defend its tax and acccounting practices 
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if any charges are brought against it.
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 Morever, Mr. Addison has said 
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Southern Co. and its units don't condone illegal political contributions.
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 Neither Mr. Addison nor any other Southern Co. official has been charged with any wrongdoing in connection with the current inquiries.
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 The probe of Southern Co. has attracted considerable attention this year 
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because of several events 
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that have befallen the company, 
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including the death of a Gulf Power executive in a plane crash and the disappearance of a company vendor 
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who was to be a key grand jury witness.
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 Witnesses have said 
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the grand jury has asked numerous questions about Jacob F. Jake Horton, the senior vice president of Gulf Power 
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who died in the plane crash in April.
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 Mr. Horton oversaw Gulf Power's governmental-affairs efforts.
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 On the morning of the crash, he had been put on notice 
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that an audit committee was recommending his dismissal 
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because of invoicing irregularities in a company audit.
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 Investigators have been trying to determine 
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whether the crash was an accident, sabotage or suicide.
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 Gulf Power said in May 
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that an internal audit had disclosed 
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that at least one vendor had used false invoices 
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to fund political causes.
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 But the company said 
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the political contributions had been made more than five years ago.
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