Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 43,762	$ 35,109	$ 87,524	$ 70,218
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	75,694	72,519	151,388	145,038
Expected return on assets	(98,655)	(90,366)	(197,310)	(180,732)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	390	400	780	800
Amortization of loss	58,981	36,274	117,962	72,548
Defined Benefit Plan, Special Termination Benefits			(76)	0
Net other postretirement benefit cost	80,172	53,936	160,420	107,872
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	6,661	5,023	13,322	10,046
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	15,471	14,884	30,942	29,768
Expected return on assets	(20,026)	(18,305)	(40,052)	(36,610)
Amortization of loss	13,564	8,989	27,128	17,978
Net other postretirement benefit cost	15,670	10,591	31,340	21,182
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,821	2,881	7,642	5,762
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	7,428	7,278	14,856	14,556
Expected return on assets	(10,160)	(9,488)	(20,320)	(18,976)
Amortization of loss	5,775	3,981	11,550	7,962
Net other postretirement benefit cost	6,864	4,652	13,728	9,304
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	4,778	3,546	9,556	7,092
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	9,939	9,467	19,878	18,934
Expected return on assets	(12,541)	(11,449)	(25,082)	(22,898)
Amortization of loss	9,176	6,131	18,352	12,262
Net other postretirement benefit cost	11,352	7,695	22,704	15,390
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,982	1,523	3,964	3,046
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,502	4,318	9,004	8,636
Expected return on assets	(6,105)	(5,698)	(12,210)	(11,396)
Amortization of loss	3,724	2,354	7,448	4,708
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,103	2,497	8,206	4,994
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	849	666	1,698	1,332
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,108	2,041	4,216	4,082
Expected return on assets	(2,725)	(2,505)	(5,450)	(5,010)
Amortization of loss	2,013	1,449	4,026	2,898
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,245	1,651	4,490	3,302
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,645	1,285	3,290	2,570
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,354	4,437	8,708	8,874
Expected return on assets	(6,222)	(5,931)	(12,444)	(11,862)
Amortization of loss	3,238	2,339	6,476	4,678
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,015	2,130	6,030	4,260
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,957	1,446	3,914	2,892
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,493	3,390	6,986	6,780
Expected return on assets	(4,568)	(4,155)	(9,136)	(8,310)
Amortization of loss	3,264	2,375	6,528	4,750
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,146	3,056	8,292	6,112
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	11,326	10,873	22,652	21,746
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	17,984	17,960	35,968	35,920
Expected return on assets	(11,344)	(11,197)	(22,688)	(22,394)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(9,320)	(7,898)	(18,640)	(15,796)
Amortization of loss	7,893	2,786	15,786	5,572
Net other postretirement benefit cost	16,539	12,524	33,078	25,048
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,739	1,489	3,478	2,978
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,130	3,065	6,260	6,130
Expected return on assets	(4,798)	(4,784)	(9,596)	(9,568)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(610)	(610)	(1,220)	(1,220)
Amortization of loss	1,339	317	2,678	634
Net other postretirement benefit cost	800	(523)	1,600	(1,046)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,247	1,224	2,494	2,448
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,062	2,095	4,124	4,190
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1,022)	(559)	(2,044)	(1,118)
Amortization of loss	977	303	1,954	606
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,264	3,063	6,528	6,126
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,227	1,130	2,454	2,260
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,016	2,066	4,032	4,132
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(845)	(844)	(1,690)	(1,688)
Amortization of loss	803	378	1,606	756
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,201	2,730	6,402	5,460
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	507	475	1,014	950
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	859	914	1,718	1,828
Expected return on assets	(1,542)	(1,443)	(3,084)	(2,886)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(229)	(229)	(458)	(458)
Amortization of loss	215	37	430	74
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(190)	(246)	(380)	(492)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	205	217	410	434
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	652	701	1,304	1,402
Expected return on assets	(1,201)	(1,119)	(2,402)	(2,238)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(177)	(177)	(354)	(354)
Amortization of loss	118	14	236	28
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(403)	(364)	(806)	(728)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	500	595	1,000	1,190
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,342	1,413	2,684	2,826
Expected return on assets	(2,588)	(2,590)	(5,176)	(5,180)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(681)	(325)	(1,362)	(650)
Amortization of loss	685	200	1,370	400
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(742)	(707)	(1,484)	(1,414)
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	470	515	940	1,030
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	628	653	1,256	1,306
Expected return on assets	(911)	(932)	(1,822)	(1,864)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(366)	(206)	(732)	(412)
Amortization of loss	300	111	600	222
Net other postretirement benefit cost	121	141	242	282
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,500	9,100	8,900	19,100
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	113	119	226	280
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	65	33	130	66
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3	1	6	2
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	59	48	118	96
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	16	24	32	47
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	$ 149	$ 119	$ 298	$ 244