Common Equity Narrative (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands			1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2019	Dec. 12, 2018	Oct. 31, 2021	Aug. 31, 2021	Jun. 30, 2021	May 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Oct. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Authorization of repurchase of common stock								$ 500,000
Common Stock, Dividends, Per Share, Declared									$ 3.86	$ 3.74	$ 3.66
Dividend payments received from subsidiaries									$ 136,000	$ 113,000	$ 124,000
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash									775,122	748,342	711,573
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Indexed Shares						8,448,171	15,300,000
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Forward Rate Per Share						$ 74.45	$ 74.45
Payments of Stock Issuance Costs		$ 728				$ 7
Proceeds from Issuance of Common Stock		$ 500,000				$ 608,000			$ 200,776	$ 0	$ 607,650
Forward Sale Agreement, Equity Offering Shares			250,743	1,692,555	416,853
Options outstanding excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share									1,013,320	523,999	173,290
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, Maximum Aggregate Gross Sales Price									$ 1,000,000
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues									1,930,330
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, Net Sales Price									$ 200,800
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, Gross Sales Price									204,200
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, General Issuance Costs									1,400
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, Aggregate Compensation to Sales Agents									2,000
Forward Sale Agreement, Equity Offering Shares			250,743	1,692,555	416,853
Shares Issued, Price Per Share			$ 100.35	$ 111.16	$ 106.87
Forward Sale Agreement, Gross Sales Price			$ 25,400	$ 190,100	$ 45,000
Forward Sale Agreement, Aggregate Compensation to Sales Agents			$ 300	$ 1,900	$ 500
Authorization of Repurchase of Common Stock, Remaining									$ 350,000
Options outstanding excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share									1,013,320	523,999	173,290
Equity Distribution Program
Options outstanding excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share									1,158,917
Options outstanding excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share									1,158,917
Revision of Prior Period, Accounting Standards Update, Adjustment [Member]
us-gaap_NewAccountingPronouncementOrChangeInAccountingPrincipleEffectOfAdoptionQuantification	$ 1,000
Increase in Retained Earnings Resulting from Implementation of ASU 2017-12	$ 8,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash									$ 50,000	$ 95,000	$ 115,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash										10,000
System Energy [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash									96,000	80,653	124,250
Common Stock [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash									$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity, Shares		6,834,221							0	0	8,448,171
Stock Issued During Period, Shares, New Issues									1,930,330	0	0
Common Stock [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash									$ 0	$ 0	$ 0