Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 37,691	$ 30,490	$ 113,073	$ 91,470
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	65,232	59,248	195,696	177,744
Expected return on assets	(79,356)	(75,319)	(238,068)	(225,957)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	683	838	2,049	2,514
Amortization of loss	41,820	23,244	125,460	69,732
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	66,070	38,501	198,210	115,503
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,542	4,518	16,626	13,554
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	13,922	12,991	41,766	38,973
Expected return on assets	(16,441)	(15,609)	(49,323)	(46,827)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	50	115	150	345
Amortization of loss	10,193	6,421	30,579	19,263
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	13,266	8,436	39,798	25,308
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,068	2,462	9,204	7,386
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	6,420	5,928	19,260	17,784
Expected return on assets	(8,593)	(8,339)	(25,779)	(25,017)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	5	20	15	60
Amortization of loss	4,043	2,279	12,129	6,837
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	4,943	2,350	14,829	7,050
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,669	2,886	11,007	8,658
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	8,800	8,159	26,400	24,477
Expected return on assets	(10,209)	(9,716)	(30,627)	(29,148)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	52	70	156	210
Amortization of loss	7,050	4,497	21,150	13,491
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	9,362	5,896	28,086	17,688
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,602	1,327	4,806	3,981
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,070	3,909	12,210	11,727
Expected return on assets	(5,236)	(5,038)	(15,708)	(15,114)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	7	38	21	114
Amortization of loss	2,633	1,680	7,899	5,040
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3,076	1,916	9,228	5,748
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	706	561	2,118	1,683
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,902	1,762	5,706	5,286
Expected return on assets	(2,215)	(2,114)	(6,645)	(6,342)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	2	9	6	27
Amortization of loss	1,719	1,166	5,157	3,498
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,114	1,384	6,342	4,152
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,421	1,197	4,263	3,591
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,206	3,993	12,618	11,979
Expected return on assets	(5,581)	(5,501)	(16,743)	(16,503)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	4	16	12	48
Amortization of loss	2,544	1,394	7,632	4,182
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,594	1,099	7,782	3,297
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,480	1,235	4,440	3,705
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,247	2,939	9,741	8,817
Expected return on assets	(4,109)	(3,784)	(12,327)	(11,352)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	3	4	9	12
Amortization of loss	2,251	1,321	6,753	3,963
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,872	1,715	8,616	5,145
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	17,221	14,835	51,663	44,505
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	20,640	18,631	61,920	55,893
Expected return on assets	(8,626)	(7,369)	(25,878)	(22,107)
Amortization of transition obligation	794	796	2,382	2,388
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(4,541)	(3,518)	(13,623)	(10,554)
Amortization of loss	9,113	5,298	27,339	15,894
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	34,601	28,673	103,803	86,019
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,272	2,013	6,816	6,039
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,613	3,436	10,839	10,308
Expected return on assets	(3,507)	(2,882)	(10,521)	(8,646)
Amortization of transition obligation	205	205	615	615
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(133)	(133)	(399)	(399)
Amortization of loss	2,077	1,610	6,231	4,830
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	4,527	4,249	13,581	12,747
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,880	1,540	5,640	4,620
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,398	2,075	7,194	6,225
Amortization of transition obligation	60	60	180	180
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(206)	(206)	(618)	(618)
Amortization of loss	1,184	723	3,552	2,169
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	5,316	4,192	15,948	12,576
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,949	1,635	5,847	4,905
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,445	2,192	7,335	6,576
Amortization of transition obligation	96	96	288	288
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(62)	(62)	(186)	(186)
Amortization of loss	1,090	698	3,270	2,094
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	5,518	4,559	16,554	13,677
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	773	658	2,319	1,974
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,179	1,093	3,537	3,279
Expected return on assets	(1,130)	(977)	(3,390)	(2,931)
Amortization of transition obligation	88	88	264	264
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(35)	(35)	(105)	(105)
Amortization of loss	730	540	2,190	1,620
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,605	1,367	4,815	4,101
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	422	362	1,266	1,086
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	856	806	2,568	2,418
Expected return on assets	(928)	(800)	(2,784)	(2,400)
Amortization of transition obligation	297	298	891	894
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	10	10	30	30
Amortization of loss	390	241	1,170	723
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,047	917	3,141	2,751
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	913	769	2,739	2,307
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,663	1,486	4,989	4,458
Expected return on assets	(2,104)	(1,874)	(6,312)	(5,622)
Amortization of transition obligation	47	47	141	141
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(107)	(107)	(321)	(321)
Amortization of loss	1,079	700	3,237	2,100
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,491	1,021	4,473	3,063
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	823	661	2,469	1,983
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	757	667	2,271	2,001
Expected return on assets	(650)	(529)	(1,950)	(1,587)
Amortization of transition obligation	2	2	6	6
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(16)	(147)	(48)	(441)
Amortization of loss	493	369	1,479	1,107
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,409	1,023	4,227	3,069
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	5,100	4,900	15,300	14,600
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	107	115	321	345
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	39	42	117	126
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3	4	9	12
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	46	48	138	144
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	19	16	57	48
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$ 163	$ 192	$ 489	$ 576