Southern Company (NYSE:SO) has quietly turned into one of the more interesting AI infrastructure stories in the utility sector. SO was also among the best utility stocks to buy according to hedge funds. Data Centers Are Already Showing Up In The NumbersSouthern’s Q1 data center sales grew 42% year over year, and wholesale electric revenue jumped almost 30%. Southern now has more than 11 GW of contracted large-load customers, up about 2 GW from the prior quarter. Any slowdown from data center customers on construction timelines, chip supply, or financing could cool the AI power premium built into the stock.