Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Financial Information
Interest and investment income											$ 147,686		$ 199,300		$ 127,776
Interest expense											627,507		604,037		569,284
Income taxes											589,597		225,981		30,855
Consolidated net income	125,006		234,916	194,281	406,053	151,353		244,182	168,055	166,982	960,257	[1]	730,572	[1]	868,363	[1]
Total assets	46,527,854					43,406,446					46,527,854		43,406,446
Investment in affiliates - at equity	36,234					40,350					36,234		40,350		46,738		44,876
Utility Plants [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											9,773,822		9,101,786		8,005,091
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning											1,170,122		1,157,843		1,076,845
Interest and investment income											171,217		186,724		150,292
Interest expense											531,729		509,173		476,485
Income taxes											472,148		365,917		49,340
Consolidated net income											846,496		846,215		960,322
Total assets	38,295,309					35,539,585					38,295,309		35,539,585		35,438,130
Investment in affiliates - at equity	199					199					199		199		199
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											2,113,631		2,268,083		3,182,695
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											2,719,404	[2]	2,312,758	[2]	2,326,309	[2]
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning											417,435	[2]	341,163	[2]	248,143	[2]
Interest and investment income											113,959	[2]	137,727	[2]	105,062	[2]
Interest expense											16,646	[2]	16,323	[2]	17,900	[2]
Income taxes											176,988	[2]	(77,471)	[2]	61,329	[2]
Consolidated net income											294,521	[2]	42,976	[2]	40,427	[2]
Total assets	10,279,500	[2]				9,696,705	[2]				10,279,500	[2]	9,696,705	[2]	9,623,345	[2]
Investment in affiliates - at equity	36,035	[2]				40,151	[2]				36,035	[2]	40,151	[2]	46,539	[2]
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											615,021	[2]	626,322	[2]	577,652	[2]
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											1,821		3,558		4,048
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning											3,702		4,142		4,357
Interest and investment income											22,159		24,179		30,656
Interest expense											120,908		122,291		126,913
Income taxes											(59,539)		(62,465)		(79,814)
Consolidated net income											(62,887)		(53,039)		(26,167)
Total assets	(654,831)					(486,438)					(654,831)		(486,438)		(509,985)
Investment in affiliates - at equity	0					0					0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											87		49		619
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											(126)		(27,155)		(33,369)
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning											0		0		0
Interest and investment income											(159,649)		(149,330)		(158,234)
Interest expense											(41,776)		(43,750)		(52,014)
Income taxes											0		0		0
Consolidated net income											(117,873)		(105,580)		(106,219)
Total assets	(1,392,124)					(1,343,406)					(1,392,124)		(1,343,406)		(1,348,988)
Investment in affiliates - at equity	0					0					0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											0		0		0
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											12,494,921		11,390,947		10,302,079
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning											1,591,259		1,503,148		1,329,345
Interest and investment income											147,686		199,300		127,776
Interest expense											627,507		604,037		569,284
Income taxes											589,597		225,981		30,855
Consolidated net income											960,257		730,572		868,363
Total assets	46,527,854					43,406,446					46,527,854		43,406,446		43,202,502
Investment in affiliates - at equity	36,234					40,350					36,234		40,350		46,738
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											$ 2,728,739		$ 2,894,454		$ 3,760,966

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2014, 2013, and 2012 include $12.9 million, $12 million, and $15 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented as equity.

[2] Businesses marked with * are sometimes referred to as the “competitive businesses.” Eliminations are primarily intersegment activity. Almost all of Entergy’s goodwill is related to the Utility segment.