Quarterly Financial Data (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) MW	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges				$ 2,835,637	$ 2,104,906	$ 123,527
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross								$ 334,000
Regulatory Liabilities								$ 107,000
Gain on sale of asset				0	154,037	0
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator	$ 77,000
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator, Net of Tax	47,000
Reduction of Income Tax Expense, Net of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Resulting From Tax Election				238,000
Tax benefit related to treatment of Vidalia purchased power agreement				75,000
Tax benefit related to treatment of proceeds received for financing of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike pursuant to Louisiana Act 55				54,000
Expense reduction due to effects of recording final court decision in several DOE spent nuclear fuel lawsuits				100,000
Expense reduction due to effects of recording final court decision in several DOE spent nuclear fuel lawsuits, net of tax				64,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Regulatory Liabilities	$ 68,300		$ 68,300	53,900	68,300		$ 16,100
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator			$ 45,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Write-Off Of Regulatory Asset For New Nuclear				0	0	$ 56,225
Human Capital Management Strategic Initiative [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs, deferred recovery, pre-tax		$ 45,000
Restructuring costs, deferred recovery, net of tax		$ 30,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges				2,800,000	2,000,000
Rhode Island State Energy Center [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Capacity Of Power Plant Unit | MW	583
Gain on sale of asset	$ 154,000
Realized Investment Gains (Losses), Net of Tax	$ 100,000
Rhode Island State Energy Center [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Capacity Of Power Plant Unit | MW	583
Gain on sale of asset	$ 154,000
FitzPatrick, Pilgrim, Palisades, Indian Point 2, and Indian Point 3 [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges				2,836,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax				$ 1,829,000
Fitzpatrick, Pilgrim, and Palisades [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges					2,036,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax					$ 1,317,000