Income Taxes (Significant Components Of Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes And Taxes Accrued) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Plant basis differences - net	$ (3,963,798)	$ (6,362,905)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	0	(584,572)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(1,657,808)	(1,739,977)
Pension, net funding	(350,743)	(429,896)
Combined unitary state taxes	(24,645)	(33,063)
Power purchase agreements	(19,621)	(993)
Other	(249,327)	(251,719)
Total	(6,265,942)	(9,403,125)
Regulatory liabilities	841,370	255,272
Pension and other post-employment benefits	343,817	539,456
Sale and leaseback	122,397	135,866
Compensation	75,217	99,300
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	59,285	92,375
Provision for allowances and contingencies	126,391	188,390
Net operating loss carryforwards	467,255	334,025
Capital losses and miscellaneous tax credits	16,738	18,470
Valuation allowance	(137,283)	(104,277)
Other	54,058	59,079
Total	2,934,190	3,017,424
Non-current accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(956,547)	(991,704)
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	964,945	1,399,468
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(4,288,299)	(7,377,405)
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(1,289,827)	(1,857,554)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net		(109,241)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(181,911)	(144,250)
Pension, net funding	(99,971)	(123,889)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(16,530)	(14,774)
Other	(23,079)	(47,785)
Total	(1,611,318)	(2,297,493)
Regulatory liabilities	227,489	5,768
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(16,252)	(24,467)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	2,566	2,787
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	8,913	13,848
Provision for allowances and contingencies	4,367	(1,497)
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	(3,094)
Net operating loss carryforwards	16,172	69,524
Other	473	174
Total	385,065	196,122
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	35,584	(85,252)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	6,195	6,799
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	2,678	2,074
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	132,464	124,206
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(1,583,100)	(2,357,599)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net		(219,750)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(164,395)	(119,544)
Pension, net funding	(102,138)	(122,465)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(1,329)	(1,778)
Other	(98,307)	(22,136)
Total	(1,949,269)	(2,843,272)
Regulatory liabilities	368,156	175,973
Pension and other post-employment benefits	98,596	145,401
Sale and leaseback	19,915	33,383
Compensation	4,387	5,309
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	35,323	54,509
Provision for allowances and contingencies	80,516	124,309
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	(6,924)	29,827
Net operating loss carryforwards	44	17,125
Other	21,922	17,110
Total	662,563	623,348
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	(763,665)	(471,194)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	(18,263)	(35,006)
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	58,891	55,408
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(571,682)	(820,971)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net		(25,309)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0	0
Pension, net funding	(26,413)	(34,284)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(19,005)	(12,770)
Other	(11,306)	(12,474)
Total	(628,406)	(905,808)
Regulatory liabilities	102,676	18,833
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(4,865)	(8,042)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	1,466	1,492
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	2,212	3,315
Provision for allowances and contingencies	11,898	21,817
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	1,129	1,905
Net operating loss carryforwards	10,255	0
Other	1,307	1,152
Total	136,661	50,044
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	2,939	(5,567)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	4,847	5,085
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	5,736	4,487
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	0	0
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(85,515)	(177,242)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net		(36,301)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0	0
Pension, net funding	(13,040)	(16,307)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(1,894)	(5,229)
Other	(23,610)	(18,536)
Total	(124,059)	(253,615)
Regulatory liabilities	23,526	25,240
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(9,618)	(12,070)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	723	685
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	488	239
Provision for allowances and contingencies	24,234	36,466
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	0
Net operating loss carryforwards	0	0
Other	388	496
Total	41,552	54,807
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	(200,795)	(136,145)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	1,811	3,751
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	0	0
Entergy Texas [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(526,596)	(835,671)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net		(153,914)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0	0
Pension, net funding	(20,700)	(28,371)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	0	(2,808)
Other	(8,236)	(8,812)
Total	(555,532)	(1,029,576)
Regulatory liabilities	25,428	15,814
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(12,044)	(19,096)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	1,224	1,587
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	2,516	4,527
Provision for allowances and contingencies	4,383	5,904
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	140
Net operating loss carryforwards	1,690	0
Other	1,133	2,955
Total	32,066	23,733
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	(21,176)	(21,804)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	7,736	11,902
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	0	0
System Energy [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(359,931)	(651,394)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net		(39,879)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(119,184)	(83,891)
Pension, net funding	(21,871)	(29,357)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(272)	(1,137)
Other	(5,955)	(2,051)
Total	(507,213)	(807,709)
Regulatory liabilities	91,271	13,644
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(516)	(1,182)
Sale and leaseback	102,482	102,483
Compensation	332	360
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	9,832	15,936
Provision for allowances and contingencies	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	0
Net operating loss carryforwards	0	0
Other	0	0
Total	266,581	184,354
Accrued Income Taxes, Noncurrent	(535,788)	(489,510)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	$ 63,180	$ 53,113