Risk Management and Fair Values (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) GWh MMBTU TWh counterparty	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) counterparty	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Included in earnings	$ 0	$ 3,000	$ 120,000
Cash flow hedges relating to power sales as part of net unrealized gains	(9,000)
Reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (OCI) to operating revenues	(15,000)
Maturity of cash flow hedges, Tax	$ 103,000	$ (85,000)	(68,000)
Planned generation sold forward from non utility nuclear power plants	87.00%
Planned Generation Sold Forward under financial derivatives	59.00%
Total planned generation for remainder of the period | TWh	27.3
Number of Derivative Contract Counterparties in a Liability Position | counterparty	3	2
Change in cash flow hedges due to ineffectiveness	$ (356)	$ 0	$ 7,000
Hedge Contracts In Liability Position	$ 8,000	2,000
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU	37,970,000
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh	46,216
Cash collateral posted	$ 2,000	9,000
Derivative, Collateral, Obligation to Return Cash		$ 68,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 300
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh	10,540
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU	30,940,000
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh	19,467
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	$ 100
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU	6,540,000
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh	7,535
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU	490,000
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh	2,234
Entergy Texas [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh	6,248
Maximum [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Hedging the Variability in Future Cash Flow, Period	2 years 3 months