Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Segment Financial Information
Interest expense										$ 666,370		$ 643,469		$ 627,507
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										(817,259)		(642,927)		589,597
Consolidated net income (loss)		$ (1,765,539)	$ 393,204	$ 572,590	$ 235,242	$ 104,849	$ (718,233)	$ 153,722	$ 302,929	(564,503)	[1]	(156,734)	[1]	960,257	[1]
Total assets		45,904,434				44,647,681				45,904,434		44,647,681
Investment in affiliates - at equity		198				4,341				198		4,341
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										2,835,637		2,104,906		179,752
Utility Plants [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										8,996,106		9,451,486		9,773,822
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										1,298,043		1,238,832		1,170,122
Interest and investment income										189,994		191,546		171,217
Interest expense										557,546		543,132		531,729
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										424,388		16,761		472,148
Consolidated net income (loss)										1,151,133		1,114,516		846,496
Total assets		41,098,751				38,356,906				41,098,751		38,356,906		38,186,286
Investment in affiliates - at equity		198				199				198		199		199
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										3,754,225		2,495,194		2,113,631
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										0		68,672		72,225
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	[2]									1,849,638		2,061,827		2,719,404
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning	[2]									374,922		376,560		417,435
Interest and investment income	[2]									108,466		148,654		113,959
Interest expense	[2]									22,858		26,788		16,646
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	[2]									(1,192,263)		(610,339)		176,988
Consolidated net income (loss)	[2]									(1,493,124)		(1,065,657)		294,521
Total assets	[2]	6,696,038				8,210,183				6,696,038		8,210,183		10,279,500
Investment in affiliates - at equity	[2]	0				4,142				0		4,142		36,035
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions	[2]									289,639		569,824		615,021
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges	[2]									2,835,637		2,036,234		107,527
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										0		0		1,821
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										1,647		2,156		3,702
Interest and investment income										27,385		34,303		22,159
Interest expense										139,090		129,750		120,908
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										(49,384)		(49,349)		(59,539)
Consolidated net income (loss)										(94,917)		(74,353)		(62,887)
Total assets		1,283,816				(461,505)				1,283,816		(461,505)		(659,207)
Investment in affiliates - at equity		0				0				0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										393		236		87
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										0		0		0
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										(99)		(62)		(126)
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										0		0		0
Interest and investment income										(180,718)		(187,441)		(159,649)
Interest expense										(53,124)		(56,201)		(41,776)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										0		0		0
Consolidated net income (loss)										(127,595)		(131,240)		(117,873)
Total assets		(3,174,171)				(1,457,903)				(3,174,171)		(1,457,903)		(1,392,124)
Investment in affiliates - at equity		0				0				0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										0		0		0
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										0		0		0
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										10,845,645		11,513,251		12,494,921
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										1,674,612		1,617,548		1,591,259
Interest and investment income										145,127		187,062		147,686
Interest expense										666,370		643,469		627,507
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										(817,259)		(642,927)		589,597
Consolidated net income (loss)										(564,503)		(156,734)		960,257
Total assets		45,904,434				44,647,681				45,904,434		44,647,681		46,414,455
Investment in affiliates - at equity		$ 198				$ 4,341				198		4,341		36,234
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										4,044,257		3,065,254		2,728,739
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										$ 2,835,637		$ 2,104,906		$ 179,752

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries include $19.1 million for 2016, $14.9 million for 2015, and $12.9 million for 2014 of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented as equity.

[2] Businesses marked with * are sometimes referred to as the “competitive businesses.” Eliminations are primarily intersegment activity. Almost all of Entergy’s goodwill is related to the Utility segment.