ENERGY

Southern Co. Bid for British Utility Rejected: National Power rejected a meeting with Southern Co. to discuss a merger, saying it is not for sale and questioning whether the U.S. company could offer a fair price for what is Britain’s largest utility. The rebuff came in a letter from John Baker, National Power chairman, to the head of Southern’s international unit. Southern announced this week that it might bid for National Power. Southern had requested a meeting in advance of a formal bid. Analysts said such an acquisition would free Atlanta-based Southern from dependence on the slowly growing U.S. utility market and bolster its position in Britain, where it already owns a regional utility.