Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Subsidiaries Preferred Stock and Noncontrolling Interest	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Noncontrolling Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [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]	Entergy Corporation [Member]
Total common shareholders' equity	$ 8,844,305	$ 2,616	$ (5,273,719)	$ 5,951,431	$ 8,721,150	$ (557,173)	$ 0	$ 2,983,103	$ 2,983,103	$ 0	$ 5,902,918	$ 5,909,071	$ (6,153)	$ 1,292,226	$ 444,950	$ 1,422,402	$ 0	$ 49,452	$ 596,994	$ 775,956	$ 737,198	$ 601,850	$ 135,348
Consolidated net income	1,258,244	0	0	0		0	17,018	262,964	262,964	0	691,537	691,537	0	119,925	52,629	159,397	0	0	0	159,397	99,120	0	99,120
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	1,241,226				1,241,226
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											0			130,000	0	185,000	0	0	185,000	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	117,059	0	0	0	0	117,059	0				10,715	0	10,715
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	(607,650)	(84)	0	(607,566)	0	0	0									(33,188)	(35,000)	0	1,812	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(7)	0	0	(7)	0	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(50,000)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	125,015	0	119,569	5,446	0	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(711,573)	0	0	0	(711,573)	0	0	(115,000)	(115,000)	0	(208,000)	(208,000)	0								(124,250)	0	(124,250)
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	0							0
Preferred Stock Redemptions	35,000	0	0	0	0	0	35,000
Other								(5,130)	(5,130)	0	(52)	(52)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(17,018)	0	0	0	0	0	(17,018)									(580)	0	0	0	(580)				$ (16,000)
Total common shareholders' equity	10,258,675	2,700	(5,154,150)	6,564,436	9,257,609	(446,920)	35,000	3,125,937	3,125,937	0	6,397,118	6,392,556	4,562	1,542,151	497,579	1,799,407	35,000	49,452	780,182	934,773	712,068	601,850	110,218
Consolidated net income	1,406,653	0	0	0		0	18,319	245,232	245,232	0	1,082,352	1,082,352	0	140,583	49,338	215,073	0	0	0	215,073	99,131	0	99,131
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	1,388,334				1,388,334
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											0			0	60,000	175,000	0	0	175,000	0	350,000	350,000	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(2,287)	0	0	0	0	(2,287)	0				(235)	0	(235)
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	65,181	0	79,694	(14,513)	0	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(748,342)	0	0	0	(748,342)	0	0	(95,000)	(95,000)	0	(21,500)	(21,500)	0	(10,000)		(30,000)	0	0	0	(30,000)	(80,653)	0	(80,653)
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	0							0
Other											(47)	(47)	0			(20)	0	0	(20)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(18,319)	0	0	0	0	0	(18,319)									(1,882)	0	0	0	(1,882)				(16,000)
Total common shareholders' equity	10,961,142	2,700	(5,074,456)	6,549,923	9,897,182	(449,207)	35,000	3,276,169	3,276,169	0	7,457,688	7,453,361	4,327	1,672,734	606,917	2,157,578	35,000	49,452	955,162	1,117,964	1,080,546	951,850	128,696
Consolidated net income	1,118,719	0	0	0		0	227	298,484	316,576	(18,092)	653,984	653,984	0	166,834	31,798	228,824	0	0	0	228,824	106,814	0	106,814
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	1,118,492				1,118,492
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											125,000	125,000	0	0	0	95,000	0	0	95,000	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	116,679	0	0	0	0	116,679	0				3,951	0	3,951
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	(204,214)	(20)	0	(204,194)	0	0	0									(3,713)	(3,750)	0	37	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(3,438)	0	0	(3,438)	0	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	50,317	0	34,757	15,560	0	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(775,122)	0	0	0	(775,122)	0	0	(50,000)	(50,000)	0	(60,000)	(60,000)	0								(96,000)	0	(96,000)
Proceeds from Noncontrolling Interests	51,202	0	0	0	0	0	51,202	51,202	0	51,202
Other											(51)	(51)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(18,319)	0	0	0	0	0	(18,319)									(1,909)	0	0	0	(1,909)				$ (16,000)
Total common shareholders' equity	$ 11,705,394	$ 2,720	$ (5,039,699)	$ 6,766,239	$ 10,240,552	$ (332,528)	$ 68,110	$ 3,575,855	$ 3,542,745	$ 33,110	$ 8,180,572	$ 8,172,294	$ 8,278	$ 1,839,568	$ 638,715	$ 2,483,206	$ 38,750	$ 49,452	$ 1,050,125	$ 1,344,879	$ 1,091,360	$ 951,850	$ 139,510