cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward-looking information: the impact of recent and future federal and state regulatory changes, including environmental laws and regulations, as well as changes in application of existing laws and regulations; the extent and timing of costs and legal requirements related to CCR; current and future litigation or regulatory investigations, proceedings, or inquiries; the effects, extent, and timing of the entry of additional competition in the markets in which Southern Company’s subsidiaries operate, including from the development and deployment of alternative energy sources; variations in demand for electricity and natural gas; available sources and costs of natural gas and other fuels; the ability to complete necessary or desirable pipeline expansion or infrastructure projects, limits on pipeline capacity and operational interruptions to natural gas distribution and transmission activities; transmission constraints; advances in technology; ongoing renewable energy partnerships and development agreements; state and federal rate regulations and the impact of pending and future rate cases and negotiations, including rate actions relating to return on equity, equity ratios and fuel and other cost recovery mechanisms; the ability of Southern Company’s electric utilities to obtain additional generating capacity (or sell excess gener ating capacity) at competitive prices; catastrophic events such as fires, earthquakes, explosions, floods, tornadoes hurricanes and other storms, droughts, pandemic health events, or other similar occurrences; and the direct or indirect effects on the Southern Company system’s business resulting from incidents affecting the U.S. electric grid, natural gas pipeline infrastructure, or operation of generating or storage resources.