Stock-Based Compensation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]

Financial information for stock options

	2011		2010		2009
	(In Millions)
Compensation expense included in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income	$	10.4	$	15.0	$	16.8
Tax benefit recognized in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income	$	4.0	$	5.8	$	6.5
Compensation cost capitalized as part of fixed assets and inventory	$	2.0	$	2.9	$	3.2

Weighted-average assumptions used in determining the fair values of stock option

	2011			2010			2009
Stock price volatility		24.25	%		25.73	%		24.39	%
Expected term in years		6.64			5.46			5.33
Risk-free interest rate		2.70	%		2.57	%		2.22	%
Dividend yield		4.20	%		3.74	%		3.50	%
Dividend payment per share	$	3.32		$	3.24		$	3.00

Summary of stock option activity and changes during the year

	Number of Options			Weighted- Average Exercise Price		Aggregate Intrinsic Value		Weighted- Average Contractual Life
Options outstanding as of January 1, 2011		11,225,725		$	72.45
Options granted		388,200		$	72.79
Options exercised		(1,079,008	)	$	42.43
Options forfeited/expired		(75,499	)	$	86.62
Options outstanding as of December 31, 2011		10,459,418		$	75.46	$	—		4.7 years
Options exercisable as of December 31, 2011		9,011,257		$	75.36	$	—		4.1 years
Weighted-average grant-date fair value of options granted during 2011	$	11.48

Information about stock options outstanding

	Options Outstanding						Options Exercisable
Range of Exercise Prices	As of 12/31/2011		Weighted-Avg. Remaining Contractual Life-Yrs.		Weighted- Avg. Exercise Price		Number Exercisable as of 12/31/2011		Weighted- Avg. Exercise Price
$37 - $50.99		1,468,761		0.6	$	43.22		1,468,761	$	43.22
$51 - $64.99		966,155		2.2	$	58.58		966,155	$	58.58
$65 - $78.99		4,911,618		5.8	$	73.09		3,463,457	$	71.86
$79 - $91.99		1,627,384		5.1	$	91.82		1,627,384	$	91.82
$92 - $108.20		1,485,500		6.1	$	108.20		1,485,500	$	108.20
$37 - $108.20		10,459,418		4.7	$	75.46		9,011,257	$	75.36

Financial information for restricted stock

	2011		2010		2009
	(In Millions)
Compensation expense included in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income	$	3.9	$	—	$	—
Tax benefit recognized in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income	$	1.5	$	—	$	—
Compensation cost capitalized as part of fixed assets and inventory	$	0.7	$	—	$	—

Employee Service share-based compensation, aggregate disclosures

	2011		2010			2009
	(In Millions)
Fair value of long-term incentive awards as of December 31,	$	7.3	$	10.1		$	17.2
Compensation expense included in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income for the year	$	0.7	($	0.9	)	$	5.6
Tax benefit (expense) recognized in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income for the year	$	0.3	($	0.4	)	$	2.2
Compensation cost capitalized as part of fixed assets and inventory	$	0.1	$	0.1		$	1.0

Restricted Awards [Member]

Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Allocation of Recognized Period Costs [Line Items]

Employee Service share-based compensation, aggregate disclosures

	2011		2010		2009
	(In Millions)
Fair value of restricted awards as of December 31,	$	6.6	$	8.3	$	4.6
Compensation expense included in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income for the year	$	3.7	$	3.9	$	2.0
Tax benefit recognized in Entergy’s Consolidated Net Income for the year	$	1.4	$	1.5	$	0.8
Compensation cost capitalized as part of fixed assets and inventory	$	0.7	$	0.9	$	0.5