Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,258,675	$ 35,000	$ 6,564,436	$ 9,257,609	$ (446,920)	$ 2,700	$ (5,154,150)	$ 1,799,407	$ 35,000	$ 780,182	$ 934,773	$ 49,452	$ 1,542,151	$ 3,125,937	$ 6,397,118	$ 6,392,556	$ 4,562	$ 497,579	$ 712,068	$ 110,218	$ 601,850
Consolidated net income	123,294	4,580	0	118,714	0	0	0	32,707	0	0	32,707	0	22,526	44,595	189,396	189,396	0	11,186	28,513	28,513	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								175,000	0	175,000	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(185,763)	0	0	(185,763)	0	0	0						(2,500)		(11,500)	(11,500)	0		(13,653)	(13,653)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	47,933	0	0	0	47,933	0	0								9,467	0	9,467
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(19,827)	0	53,753	0	0	0	(73,580)
Other															(10)	(10)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Consolidated net income	1,014,105							171,739					120,008	240,608	583,321			35,565	88,568
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								175,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	56,500														7,722
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	$ 13,739							1,411
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	500,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 2.79
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,258,967	35,000	6,510,683	9,190,141	(398,987)	2,700	(5,080,570)	2,006,644	35,000	955,182	967,010	49,452	1,562,177	3,170,532	6,584,471	6,570,442	14,029	508,765	726,928	125,078	601,850
Consolidated net income	365,113	4,580	0	360,533	0	0	0	46,868	0	0	46,868	0	38,893	60,170	170,459	170,459	0	4,929	28,991	28,991	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(186,151)	0	0	(186,151)	0	0	0								(5,000)	(5,000)	0		(46,000)	(46,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	10,383	0	0	0	10,383	0	0								(945)	0	(945)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(17,256)	0	(13,647)	0	0	0	(3,609)
Other								(10)	0	(10)	0	0			(13)	(13)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							471	0	0	471	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,460,988	35,000	6,524,330	9,364,523	(388,604)	2,700	(5,076,961)	2,053,031	35,000	955,172	1,013,407	49,452	1,601,070	3,230,702	6,748,972	6,735,888	13,084	513,694	709,919	108,069	601,850
Consolidated net income	525,699	4,580	0	521,119	0	0	0	92,164	0	0	92,164	0	58,589	135,843	223,466	223,466	0	19,450	31,064	31,064	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(186,207)	0	0	(186,207)	0	0	0						(5,000)	(25,000)	(5,000)	(5,000)	0		(21,000)	(21,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,816)	0	0	0	(1,816)	0	0								(800)	0	(800)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(12,755)	0	(11,211)	0	0	0	(1,544)
Other								(10)	0	(10)	0	0			(8)	(8)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	4,580							470
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	$ 4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	500,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 0.93
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,806,839	35,000	6,535,541	9,699,435	(390,420)	2,700	(5,075,417)	2,144,715	35,000	955,162	1,105,101	49,452	1,654,659	3,341,545	6,966,630	6,954,346	12,284	533,144	719,983	118,133	601,850
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,961,142	35,000	6,549,923	9,897,182	(449,207)	2,700	(5,074,456)	2,157,578	35,000	955,162	1,117,964	49,452	1,672,734	3,276,169	7,457,688	7,453,361	4,327	606,917	1,080,546	128,696	951,850
Consolidated net income	339,145	4,580	0	334,565	0	0	0	50,058	0	0	50,058	0	25,972	93,037	166,626	166,626	0	1,771	23,864	23,864	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(190,595)	0	0	(190,595)	0	0	0												(21,000)	(21,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(51,300)	0	0	0	(51,300)	0	0								(407)	0	(407)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	1,636	0	29,871	0	0	0	(28,235)
Other															(16)	(16)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Consolidated net income	873,333							189,689					139,983	304,521	535,028			22,397	81,693
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								85,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(22,832)														50
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	$ 13,739							1,411
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	1,000,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 2.85
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 11,052,176	35,000	6,520,052	10,041,152	(500,507)	2,700	(5,046,221)	2,207,166	35,000	955,162	1,167,552	49,452	1,698,706	3,369,206	7,623,891	7,619,971	3,920	608,688	1,083,410	131,560	951,850
Consolidated net income	(1,394)	4,580	0	(5,974)	0	0	0	44,790	0	0	44,790	0	51,416	56,593	143,927	143,927	0	4,631	30,330	30,330	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								85,000	0	85,000	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(190,629)	0	0	(190,629)	0	0	0												(5,000)	(5,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	21,768	0	0	0	21,768	0	0								588	0	588
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(18,789)	0	(14,810)	0	0	0	(3,979)
Other															(12)	(12)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							471	0	0	471	0
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, Aggregate Compensation to Sales Agents [Abstract]
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	28,216	0	28,213	0	0	3	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(1,399)	0	(1,399)	0	0	0	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,922,947	35,000	6,561,676	9,844,549	(478,739)	2,703	(5,042,242)	2,336,485	35,000	1,040,162	1,211,871	49,452	1,750,122	3,425,799	7,768,394	7,763,886	4,508	613,319	1,108,740	156,890	951,850
Consolidated net income	535,583	4,580	0	531,003	0	0	0	94,841	0	0	94,841	0	62,595	154,891	224,475	224,475	0	15,995	27,499	27,499	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(190,907)	0	0	(190,907)	0	0	0							(25,000)	(60,000)	(60,000)	0		(48,000)	(48,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	6,700	0	0	0	6,700	0	0								(131)	0	(131)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(17,781)	0	(16,176)	0	0	0	(1,605)
Other															(11)	(11)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	4,580							470
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	$ 4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	1,000,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 0.95
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 11,287,524	$ 35,000	$ 6,577,852	$ 10,184,645	$ (472,039)	$ 2,703	$ (5,040,637)	$ 2,430,856	$ 35,000	$ 1,040,162	$ 1,306,242	$ 49,452	$ 1,812,717	$ 3,555,690	$ 7,932,727	$ 7,928,350	$ 4,377	$ 629,314	$ 1,088,239	$ 136,389	$ 951,850