Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues		$ 2,609,852,000	$ 2,920,090,000
Income taxes (benefits)		139,945,000	150,471,000
Consolidated net income	[1]	235,242,000	302,929,000
Assets		45,933,882,000		$ 44,647,681,000
Utility [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues		2,087,793,000	2,277,510,000
Income taxes (benefits)		107,836,000	91,251,000
Consolidated net income		199,651,000	227,750,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues		522,079,000	642,590,000
Income taxes (benefits)		52,314,000	70,190,000
Consolidated net income		79,557,000	123,432,000
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues		0	0
Income taxes (benefits)		(20,205,000)	(10,970,000)
Consolidated net income		(12,067,000)	(16,354,000)
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues		(20,000)	(10,000)
Income taxes (benefits)		0	0
Consolidated net income		$ (31,899,000)	$ (31,899,000)

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2016 and 2015 include $5.3 million and $3.2 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.