Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014
Operating revenues	$ 2,648,528	$ 3,124,703	$ 2,462,562	$ 2,609,852	$ 2,508,523	$ 3,371,406	$ 2,713,231	$ 2,920,090	$ 10,845,645		$ 11,513,251		$ 12,494,921
Operating income (loss)	(2,599,001)	772,060	442,258	498,218	(254,300)	(965,016)	377,383	542,769	(886,465)		(299,165)		2,006,889
Consolidated net income (loss)	(1,765,539)	393,204	572,590	235,242	104,849	(718,233)	153,722	302,929	(564,503)	[1]	(156,734)	[1]	960,257	[1]
Net income (loss) attributable to Entergy Corporation	$ (1,769,068)	$ 388,170	$ 567,314	$ 229,966	$ 99,573	$ (723,027)	$ 148,843	$ 298,050	$ (583,618)		$ (176,562)		$ 940,721
Basic earnings per share (in usd per share)	$ (9.89)	$ 2.17	$ 3.17	$ 1.29	$ 0.56	$ (4.04)	$ 0.83	$ 1.66	$ (3.26)		$ (0.99)		$ 5.24
Diluted earnings per share (in usd per share)	$ (9.86)	$ 2.16	$ 3.16	$ 1.28	$ 0.56	$ (4.04)	$ 0.83	$ 1.65	$ (3.26)		$ (0.99)		$ 5.22
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Operating revenues	$ 462,384	$ 654,599	$ 504,252	$ 465,373	$ 476,149	$ 714,353	$ 551,809	$ 511,253
Operating income (loss)	29,843	188,660	73,447	54,378	(21,635)	109,236	55,149	36,656	$ 346,328		$ 179,406		$ 270,004
Consolidated net income (loss)	3,879	110,148	33,891	19,294	(20,780)	55,662	21,525	17,865	167,212		74,272		121,392
Net income (loss) attributable to Entergy Corporation	3,521	108,672	32,173	17,576	(22,499)	53,944	19,807	16,147	161,942		67,399		114,519
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Operating revenues	973,417	1,249,452	999,034	955,145	974,875	1,298,482	1,074,598	1,069,191	4,177,048		4,417,146		4,740,504
Operating income (loss)	111,066	312,951	193,752	181,618	47,052	294,436	191,068	185,776	799,387		718,332		677,833
Consolidated net income (loss)	67,610	189,506	253,325	111,606	24,409	187,140	108,981	126,109	622,047		446,639		446,022
Net income (loss) attributable to Entergy Corporation	67,610	189,506	253,325	111,606	24,410	185,290	107,037	124,165	622,047		440,902		438,226
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Operating revenues	273,726	309,739	248,138	263,046	280,452	410,743	344,975	360,815
Operating income (loss)	32,464	88,312	61,890	41,573	24,717	74,264	58,086	54,839	224,239		211,906		186,760
Consolidated net income (loss)	13,260	46,612	32,194	17,118	4,918	36,576	26,279	24,935	109,184		92,708		74,821
Net income (loss) attributable to Entergy Corporation	12,938	45,905	31,487	16,411	4,211	35,869	25,572	24,228	106,741		89,880		71,993
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Operating revenues	149,867	201,336	164,920	149,340	144,335	209,733	160,752	156,626	665,463		671,446		735,192
Operating income (loss)	8,807	42,279	26,913	21,880	9,337	34,734	20,154	20,745	99,879		84,970		57,956
Consolidated net income (loss)	2,138	23,701	11,843	11,167	3,575	19,163	10,895	11,292	48,849		44,925		31,030
Net income (loss) attributable to Entergy Corporation	1,896	23,460	11,602	10,926	3,333	18,922	10,654	11,051	47,884		43,960		30,065
Entergy Texas [Member]
Operating revenues	382,308	442,085	412,922	378,304	394,822	498,249	402,921	411,211
Operating income (loss)	38,338	107,964	58,039	41,269	8,944	86,624	44,064	44,013	245,610		183,645		208,715
Consolidated net income (loss)	12,785	56,133	24,058	14,562	(5,170)	43,314	14,890	16,591	107,538		69,625		74,804
System Energy [Member]
Operating revenues	145,236	114,039	151,323	137,693	157,366	155,899	163,101	156,039
Operating income (loss)	44,781	43,886	45,020	47,466	45,239	47,135	45,470	47,784	181,153		185,628		221,116
Consolidated net income (loss)	$ 23,326	$ 22,370	$ 25,090	$ 25,958	$ 38,702	$ 25,223	$ 21,860	$ 25,533	$ 96,744		$ 111,318		$ 96,334

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries include $19.1 million for 2016, $14.9 million for 2015, and $12.9 million for 2014 of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented as equity.