Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2009	Sep. 30, 2008	Mar. 31, 2013	Aug. 31, 2008	Jul. 31, 2008
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets related to state net operating loss carryovers			$ 21,200,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			516,000,000	176,000,000	203,000,000		203,000,000
Remaining balances of unrecognized tax benefits, effective income tax rates			4,221,000,000	4,417,000,000	3,968,000,000		3,968,000,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			127,000,000	96,400,000	146,000,000		146,000,000
Income tax benefit resulting from Act 55 financing settlement		172,000,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	(548,000,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			596,935,000	311,789,000	(26,479,000)
State Net Operating Loss Carryover [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Reduction in valuation allowance due to prospective utilization of a loss carryover						44,000,000
Reduction in valuation allowance due to prospective utilization of a loss carryover, net of Federal tax effect						28,000,000
Parent Company [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Reduction in taxable income relating to 2009 CAM settlement								5,700,000,000
Deferred tax asset relating to 2004 CAM settlement, net of interest charges							155,000,000
Increase in taxable income relating to 2004 CAM settlement							2,970,000,000
Adjustment 2009 CAM								9,300,000,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			2,600,000	600,000	600,000		600,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			17,000,000	15,200,000	21,800,000		21,800,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	(157,000,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			130,132,000	130,707,000	(67,482,000)
Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Increase in taxable income related to Louisiana Act 55 financing		104,000,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			91,900,000	44,000,000	44,000,000		44,000,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			21,000,000	17,000,000	33,100,000		33,100,000
Proceeds from the LA Act 55 financing									274,700,000
Income tax benefit resulting from Act 55 financing settlement		20,000,000
Regulatory charge resulting from tax settlement		28,000,000
Net-of-tax regulatory charge resulting from tax settlement		17,000,000
Regulatory Liabilities			36,900,000	35,300,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	(42,000,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			99,404,000	86,125,000	92,523,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Increase in taxable income related to Louisiana Act 55 financing		129,000,000
Additional tax depreciation relating to 2004 CAM settlement							547,000,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			175,400,000	87,900,000	92,400,000		92,400,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			1,200,000	1,000,000	900,000		900,000
Proceeds from the LA Act 55 financing									679,000,000
Income tax benefit resulting from Act 55 financing settlement		143,000,000
Regulatory charge resulting from tax settlement		137,000,000
Net-of-tax regulatory charge resulting from tax settlement		84,000,000
Regulatory Liabilities			45,700,000	37,000,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	(49,000,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			149,282,000	310,964,000	(59,069,000)
Distribution of income tax credits to Parent										20,600,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			3,900,000	3,900,000	3,900,000		3,900,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			2,800,000	2,100,000	2,400,000		2,400,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	(23,000,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			32,472,000	47,878,000	58,221,000
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			50,700,000	0	0		0
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			1,300,000	900,000	100,000		100,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	11,000,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			24,388,000	(7,427,000)	15,016,000
Entergy Texas [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			10,500,000	10,100,000	8,600,000		8,600,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			1,000,000	800,000	700,000		700,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	(169,000,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			2,829,000	86,152,000	123,167,000
System Energy [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates			3,700,000	3,300,000	3,500,000		3,500,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties			23,800,000	19,000,000	33,200,000		33,200,000
(Reduction) Increase in repairs and maintenance tax deduction as a result of IRS regulations	34,000,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits			79,835,000	29,996,000	43,651,000
Hurricane Rita [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Proceeds from LURC											274,700,000
Proceed from loan by LCDA to corporation LURC											274,700,000
Hurricane Rita [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Proceeds from LURC												679,000,000
Proceed from loan by LCDA to corporation LURC												$ 679,000,000