Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit And Short-Term Borrowings (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 3,500,000
Issuance of letters of credit, limit of total borrowing capacity	$ 20,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage	0.225%
Consolidated debt ratio	65.00%
Commercial Paper program limit	$ 2,000,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding	$ 1,467,000
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization	70.00%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 210,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio	65.00%
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 100		$ 100
Letters of credit posted to cover derivative exposure	100
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance of letters of credit, limit of total borrowing capacity	$ 10,000
Consolidated debt ratio	65.00%
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 145,000	$ 145,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage	0.20%
Debt, weighted average interest rate	2.64%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.07%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 104,000
Uncommitted Credit Facility	85,000
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 17,830		66,893
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization	70.00%
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 49,974		0
Issuance of letters of credit, limit of total borrowing capacity	$ 5,000
Consolidated debt ratio	65.00%
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization	70.00%
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 200		300
Letters of credit posted to cover derivative exposure	200
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance of letters of credit, limit of total borrowing capacity	$ 30,000
Consolidated debt ratio	65.00%
Letters of credit posted to cover derivative exposure	$ 50
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	43,540		$ 3,794
Issuance of letters of credit, limit of total borrowing capacity	$ 15,000
Consolidated debt ratio	65.00%
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization	70.00%
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 43,500
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount	0.10%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 79,900
Entergy Louisiana River Bend VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount	0.10%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 65,700
System Energy VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 17,800
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount	0.10%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 67,800
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 50,000
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount	0.10%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 74,900
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate	2.55%
Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate	1.49%
Three Point Nine Two Percent Series H Dues February Two Thousand Twenty One [Member] | Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable noncurrent amount	$ 40,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	3.92%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage	0.275%
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage	0.075%