Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]		Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 10,101,725		$ 94,000		$ 5,375,353	$ 10,169,657		$ (42,307)	$ 2,548	$ (5,497,526)	$ 1,824,237	$ 588,471	$ 1,235,296	$ 470	$ 4,346,987	$ 110,000	$ 4,316,210	$ (79,223)	$ 962,170	$ (690)	$ 763,534	$ 199,326	$ 228,025	$ 36,294	$ 157,987	$ 33,744	$ 891,831	$ 481,994	$ 360,385	$ 49,452	$ 870,511	$ 81,161	$ 789,350
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income (loss)	(261,583)	[1]	14,552	[1]	0	(276,135)	[1]	0	0	0	95,052	0	95,052	0	422,230	0	422,230	0	87,790	0	87,790	0	41,351	0	41,351	0	74,795	0	74,795	0	72,616	72,616	0
Net income attributable to Entergy Louisiana																							(2,203)	0	(2,203)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(75,491)		0		0	0		(75,491)	0	0					1,204	0	0	1,204
Preferred Stock Redemptions	94,285		94,000		0	285		0	0	0					110,000	110,000	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(99,807)		0		0	0		0	0	(99,807)
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(94,285)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	48,386		0		3,594	0		0	0	44,792
Common stock dividends declared	(447,268)		0		0	(447,268)		0	0	0					(100,000)	0	(100,000)	0	(36,250)	0	(36,250)	0	(7,250)	0	(7,250)	0					(130,750)	(130,750)	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											0												0
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(14,552)	[1]	(14,552)	[1]	0	0		0	0	0	(5,155)	0	(5,155)	0	(5,737)	0	(5,737)	0	(2,121)	0	(2,121)	0	(724)	0	(724)	0
Other															(313)	0	(313)	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	9,157,125		0		5,378,947	9,445,969		(117,798)	2,548	(5,552,541)	1,914,134	588,471	1,325,193	470	4,554,371	0	4,632,390	(78,019)	1,011,589	(690)	812,953	199,326	259,199	36,294	189,161	33,744	966,626	481,994	435,180	49,452	812,377	23,027	789,350
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Related Expense															100,002
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	9,256,791		0		5,403,758	9,393,913		8,951	2,548	(5,552,379)	1,891,658	588,493	1,302,695	470	4,737,312	0	4,793,724	(56,412)	1,012,050	(690)	813,414	199,326	350,032	123,794	192,494	33,744	961,456	481,994	430,010	49,452	781,079	61,729	719,350
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income (loss)	1,201,035	[1]	15,586	[1]	0	1,185,449	[1]	0	0	0	163,333	0	163,333	0	554,437	0	554,437	0	95,924	0	95,924	0	46,712	0	46,712	0	94,753	0	94,753	0	73,418	73,418	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	29,185		0		0	0		29,185	0	0					(725)	0	0	(725)
Preferred Stock Redemptions	283		0		0	283		0	0	0	284	1,750	2,034	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(85,283)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	53,913		0		229	0		0	0	53,684
Common stock dividends declared	(455,993)		0		0	(455,993)		0	0	0					(215,000)	0	(215,000)	0	(24,000)	0	(24,000)	0	(14,000)	0	(14,000)	0					(139,000)	(99,000)	(40,000)
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent											200,000	200,000	0	0									47,750	47,750	0	0
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(15,586)	[1]	(15,586)	[1]	0	0		0	0	0	(4,913)	0	(4,913)	0					(2,121)	0	(2,121)	0	(724)	0	(724)	0
Other															(22)	0	(22)	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 10,069,062		$ 0		$ 5,403,987	$ 10,123,086		$ 38,136	$ 2,548	$ (5,498,695)	$ 2,249,794	$ 790,243	$ 1,459,081	$ 470	5,076,002	$ 0	$ 5,133,139	$ (57,137)	$ 1,081,853	$ (690)	$ 883,217	$ 199,326	$ 429,770	$ 171,544	$ 224,482	$ 33,744	$ 1,056,209	$ 481,994	$ 524,763	$ 49,452	$ 715,497	$ 36,147	$ 679,350
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Related Expense															$ 0

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2016 and 2015 include $15.6 million and $9.6 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.