2.2.0.25truefalse0506 - Disclosure - Retirement, Other Postretirement Benefits, and Defined Contribution Plans (Tables)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Qualified Pension [Member]
1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011
USD ($)
$ThreeMonthsEnded_31Mar2011_Pension_Plans_Defined_Benefit_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000065984duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00falsefalseQualified Pension [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$1false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://entergy.com/role/retirementandotherpostretirementbenefitstables| 1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | 1falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Qualified Pension [Member]
1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011
USD ($)
$ThreeMonthsEnded_31Mar2011_Pension_Plans_Defined_Benefit_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000065984duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00falsefalseQualified Pension [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse
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3false0us-gaap_ScheduleOfDefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresTextBlockus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseverboselabel| 1falsefalsefalse00<!--DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd" -->
<!-- Begin Block Tagged Note Table: etr-20110331_note6_table1 - us-gaap:ScheduleOfDefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresTextBlock-->
<div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
<div align="center">
<table style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<tr valign="bottom">
<td width="76%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>2011</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>2010</b></td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="6">(In Thousands)</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Service cost — benefits earned during the period
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">30,490</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">26,239</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Interest cost on projected benefit obligation
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">59,248</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">57,802</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Expected return on assets
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(75,319</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(64,902</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Amortization of prior service cost
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">838</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">1,164</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Amortization of loss
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">23,244</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">16,475</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Net pension costs
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">38,501</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">36,778</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</table>
</div>
</div>
falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | Otherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringThis element may be used to capture the entire disclosure for an employer that sponsors one or more defined benefit pension plans or one or more other defined benefit postretirement plans, of certain information, separately for pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans including the entity's schedule of fair value of plan assets for defined benefit or other postretirement plans.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 5, 6, 7
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph d
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 158
-Paragraph 4, 7, 16, 20, 21
falsefalse
4false0natruenanaNo definition available.falsetruefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsehttp://entergy.com/role/retirementandotherpostretirementbenefitstables| 1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | 2falsefalseUSDtruefalse{us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis} : Other Postretirement [Member]
1/1/2011 - 3/31/2011
USD ($)
$ThreeMonthsEnded_31Mar2011_Other_Postretirement_Benefit_Plans_Defined_Benefit_Memberhttp://www.sec.gov/CIK0000065984duration2011-01-01T00:00:002011-03-31T00:00:00falsefalseOther Postretirement [Member]us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisxbrldihttp://xbrl.org/2006/xbrldius-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMemberus-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxisexplicitMemberUSDStandardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170USDUSD$OthernaNo definition available.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse
5true0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDisclosureLineItemsus-gaaptruenadurationNo definition available.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse| 1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | Otherxbrli:stringItemTypestringLine items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.falsefalse
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<!-- Begin Block Tagged Note Table: etr-20110331_note6_table2 - us-gaap:ScheduleOfDefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresTextBlock-->
<div align="left" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif">
<div align="center">
<table style="font-size: 10pt; text-align: left" cellspacing="0" border="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%">
<!-- Begin Table Head -->
<tr valign="bottom">
<td width="76%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
<td width="5%"> </td>
<td width="1%"> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>2011</b></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="2" style="border-bottom: 1px solid #000000"><b>2010</b></td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 8pt" valign="bottom">
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="center" colspan="6">(In Thousands)</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<!-- End Table Head -->
<!-- Begin Table Body -->
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Service cost — benefits earned during the period
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">14,835</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">13,078</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Interest cost on APBO
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">18,631</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">19,020</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Expected return on assets
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(7,369</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(6,553</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Amortization of transition obligation
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">796</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">932</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Amortization of prior service cost
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(3,518</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" align="left"> </td>
<td align="right">(3,015</td>
<td nowrap="nowrap">)</td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Amortization of loss
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">5,298</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="right">4,317</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 1px solid #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr valign="bottom" style="background: #cceeff">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px">Net other postretirement benefit cost
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">28,673</td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td align="left">$</td>
<td align="right">27,779</td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<tr style="font-size: 1px">
<td>
<div style="margin-left:15px; text-indent:-15px"> 
</div></td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
<td> </td>
<td nowrap="nowrap" colspan="2" align="right" style="border-top: 3px double #000000"> </td>
<td> </td>
</tr>
<!-- End Table Body -->
</table>
</div>
</div>
falsefalsefalsefalsefalse | Otherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringThis element may be used to capture the entire disclosure for an employer that sponsors one or more defined benefit pension plans or one or more other defined benefit postretirement plans, of certain information, separately for pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans including the entity's schedule of fair value of plan assets for defined benefit or other postretirement plans.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 5, 6, 7
Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 132R
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph d
Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 158
-Paragraph 4, 7, 16, 20, 21
falsefalse
16Retirement, Other Postretirement Benefits, and Defined Contribution Plans (Tables)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue