Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit And Short-Term Borrowings (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended				9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended			9 Months Ended		1 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Oct. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012 Commercial Paper Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]		Jul. 31, 2012 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Five Point Four One Percent Series O Notes Due July Two Thousand Twleve [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Three Point Two Five Percent Series Q Notes Due July Two Thousand Seventeen [Member]	Apr. 30, 2012 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Five Point Eight Percent Series Pollution Control Revenue Bonds Due April Two Thousand Sixteen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Entergy Louisiana [Member]		Aug. 31, 2012 Entergy Louisiana [Member] Three Point Two Five Percent Series G Notes Due July Two Thousand Seventeen [Member]	Jul. 31, 2012 Entergy Louisiana [Member] Five Point Two Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due July Two Thousand Fifty Two [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Entergy Louisiana [Member] One Point Eight Seven Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due December Two Thousand Fourteen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Entergy Texas [Member]		Sep. 30, 2012 System Energy [Member] Six Point Two Percent Series Pollution Control Revenue Bonds Due February Two Thousand Twenty Six [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 System Energy [Member] Five Point Nine Percent Series Pollution Control Revenue Bonds Due May Two Thousand Twenty Two [Member]	Oct. 31, 2012 System Energy [Member] Six Point Two Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due Octoberl Two Thousand Twelve [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 System Energy [Member] Four Point One Zero Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due April Two Thousand Twenty Three [Member]	Feb. 29, 2012 System Energy [Member] Four Point Zero Two Percent Series H Notes Due February Two Thousand Seventeen [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Entergy Corporation As Guarantor For System Energy [Member] Four Point Seven Zero Percent Series Senior Notes Due January Two Thousand Seventeen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Entergy Texas [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Maximum [Member] Entergy Corporation As Guarantor For System Energy [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Minimum [Member] Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity			$ 3,500,000,000						$ 150,000,000	[1]				$ 200,000,000	[2]				$ 150,000,000	[3]
Issuance of letters of credit, percentage of total borrowing capacity			50.00%				50.00%		50.00%					50.00%					50.00%
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.275%																								0.275%	0.275%	0.275%	0.275%	0.275%	0.275%		0.125%	0.125%	0.125%	0.125%	0.125%	0.125%
Debt, weighted average interest rate					0.80%	2.07%
Consolidated debt ratio																											65.00%	65.00%	65.00%	65.00%	65.00%	65.00%
Commercial Paper program limit			500,000,000	1,000,000,000
Commerical Paper Amount Outstanding			154,300,000
Debt ratio																												65.00%
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.20%
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization																												70	70	70			70
Repayments of debt											60,000,000	75,000,000	10,840,000			25,000,000	200,000,000	250,000,000			50,000,000	102,975,000	70,000,000	250,000,000	50,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage											5.41%	3.25%	5.80%			3.25%	5.25%	1.875%			6.20%	5.90%	6.20%	4.10%	4.02%	4.70%
Repayment on VIE Credit Facility								3,500,000
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization																											70
Issuance of Senior Notes	500,000,000
Net Repayment of Credit Facility Borrowings		$ 455,000,000

[1] The credit facility allows Entergy Gulf States Louisiana to issue letters of credit against 50% of the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of September 30, 2012, no letters of credit were outstanding. The credit facility requires Entergy Gulf States Louisiana to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization.

[2] The credit facility allows Entergy Louisiana to issue letters of credit against 50% of the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of September 30, 2012, no letters of credit were outstanding. The credit facility requires Entergy Louisiana to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization.

[3] The credit facility allows Entergy Texas to issue letters of credit against 50% of the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of September 30, 2012, no letters of credit were outstanding. The credit facility requires Entergy Texas to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization.