Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]		Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 10,101,725		$ 94,000		$ 2,548	$ (5,497,526)	$ 5,375,353	$ 10,169,657		$ (42,307)	$ 1,824,237	$ 470	$ 588,471	$ 1,235,296	$ 4,336,987	$ 100,000	$ 4,316,210	$ (79,223)	$ 962,170	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 763,534	$ 228,025	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 157,987	$ 891,831	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 360,385	$ 870,511	$ 789,350	$ 81,161
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	302,929	[1]	4,879	[1]	0	0	0	298,050	[1]	0	17,865	0	0	17,865	126,109	0	126,109	0	24,935	0	0	24,935	11,292	0	0	11,292	16,591	0	0	16,591	25,533	0	25,533
Net income attributable to Entergy Louisiana																							(238)	0	0	(238)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(17,430)		0		0	0	0	0		(17,430)					380	0	0	380
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(25,078)		0		0	(25,078)	0	0		0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	19,969		0		0	43,632	(23,663)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(149,257)		0		0	0	0	(149,257)		0													(7,250)	0	0	(7,250)					(20,000)	0	(20,000)
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											0												0
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,879)	[1]	(4,879)	[1]	0	0	0	0		0	(1,718)	0	0	(1,718)	(1,944)	0	(1,944)	0	(707)	0	0	(707)	(241)	0	0	(241)
Other															(8)	0	(8)	0
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2015	10,227,979		94,000		2,548	(5,478,972)	5,351,690	10,318,450		(59,737)	1,840,384	470	588,471	1,251,443	4,461,524	100,000	4,440,367	(78,843)	986,398	199,326	(690)	787,762	231,588	33,744	36,294	161,550	908,422	49,452	481,994	376,976	876,044	789,350	86,694
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	9,256,791		0		2,548	(5,552,379)	5,403,758	9,393,913		8,951	1,891,658	470	588,493	1,302,695	4,737,312	0	4,793,724	(56,412)	1,012,050	199,326	(690)	813,414	350,032	33,744	123,794	192,494	961,456	49,452	481,994	430,010	781,079	719,350	61,729
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	235,242	[1]	5,276	[1]	0	0	0	229,966	[1]	0	19,294	0	0	19,294	111,606	0	111,606	0	17,118	0	0	17,118	11,167	0	0	11,167	14,562	0	0	14,562	25,958	0	25,958
Other comprehensive income (loss)	20,841		0		0	0	0	0		20,841					(263)	0	0	(263)
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	5,188		0		0	24,184	(18,996)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(151,839)		0		0	0	0	(151,839)		0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											200,000	0	200,000	0									47,750	0	47,750	0
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(5,276)	[1]	(5,276)	[1]	0	0	0	0		0	(1,718)	0	0	(1,718)					(707)	0	0	(707)	241	0	0	(241)
Other															(7)	0	(7)	0
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2016	$ 9,360,947		$ 0		$ 2,548	$ (5,528,195)	$ 5,384,762	$ 9,472,040		$ 29,792	$ 2,109,234	$ 470	$ 788,493	$ 1,320,271	$ 4,848,648	$ 0	$ 4,905,323	$ (56,675)	$ 1,028,461	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 829,825	$ 408,708	$ 33,744	$ 171,544	$ 203,420	$ 976,018	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 444,572	$ 807,037	$ 719,350	$ 87,687

[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.