Income Taxes (Significant Components Of Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes And Taxes Accrued) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015
Plant basis differences - net	$ (6,362,905)	$ (6,804,225)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(584,572)	(646,392)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(1,739,977)	(1,254,463)
Pension, net funding	(429,896)	(365,111)
Combined unitary state taxes	(33,063)	(45,078)
Power purchase agreements	(993)	0
Other	(251,719)	(315,844)
Total	(9,403,125)	(9,431,113)
Regulatory liabilities	255,272	284,432
Pension and other post-employment benefits	539,456	525,524
Sale and leaseback	135,866	139,720
Compensation	99,300	69,432
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	92,375	95,248
Provision for allowances and contingencies	188,390	188,282
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	38,401
Net operating loss carryforwards	334,025	360,188
Capital losses and miscellaneous tax credits	18,470	11,075
Valuation allowance	(104,277)	(91,532)
Other	59,079	68,204	$ 334,000
Total	3,017,424	2,517,957
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(991,704)	(1,338,806)
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	1,399,468	828,983
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(7,495,290)	(8,306,865)
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	(7,377,405)	(8,251,962)
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(1,857,554)	(1,710,444)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(109,241)	(108,422)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(144,250)	(121,326)
Pension, net funding	(123,889)	(107,073)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(14,774)	(7,647)
Other	(47,785)	(38,683)
Total	(2,297,493)	(2,093,595)
Regulatory liabilities	5,768	18,369
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(24,467)	(20,420)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	2,787	1,842
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	13,848	14,320
Provision for allowances and contingencies	(1,497)	1,024
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	(3,094)	(1,279)
Net operating loss carryforwards	69,524	0
Other	174	128
Total	196,122	133,761
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(85,252)	(22,978)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	6,799	9,815
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	2,074
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	124,206	109,962
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(2,186,623)	(1,982,812)
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(2,357,599)	(2,041,968)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(219,750)	(254,316)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(119,544)	(99,980)
Pension, net funding	(122,465)	(109,709)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(1,778)	(2,513)
Other	(22,136)	(86,275)
Total	(2,843,272)	(2,594,761)
Regulatory liabilities	175,973	215,154
Pension and other post-employment benefits	145,401	149,680
Sale and leaseback	33,383	37,236
Compensation	5,309	4,182
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	54,509	56,635
Provision for allowances and contingencies	124,309	123,007
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	29,827	13,840
Net operating loss carryforwards	17,125	90,241
Other	17,110	21,982
Total	623,348	728,925
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(471,194)	(641,120)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	(35,006)	(32,365)
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	55,408	49,333
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(2,691,118)	(2,506,956)
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(820,971)	(781,427)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(25,309)	(24,918)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0	0
Pension, net funding	(34,284)	(30,901)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(12,770)	(684)
Other	(12,474)	(5,625)
Total	(905,808)	(843,555)
Regulatory liabilities	18,833	7,787
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(8,042)	(6,628)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	1,492	601
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	3,315	1,777
Provision for allowances and contingencies	21,817	18,735
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	1,905	1,901
Net operating loss carryforwards	0	0
Other	1,152	1,995
Total	50,044	33,322
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(5,567)	(402)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	5,085	7,154
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	4,487
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(861,331)	(810,635)
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(177,242)	(167,294)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(36,301)	(39,451)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0	0
Pension, net funding	(16,307)	(14,459)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(5,229)	(175)
Other	(18,536)	(12,253)
Total	(253,615)	(233,632)
Regulatory liabilities	25,240	20,888
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(12,070)	(8,939)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	685	880
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	239	290
Provision for allowances and contingencies	36,466	33,843
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	13
Net operating loss carryforwards	0	0
Other	496	316
Total	54,807	49,417
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(136,145)	(29,846)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	3,751	2,126
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(334,953)	(214,061)
Entergy Texas [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(835,671)	(778,270)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(153,914)	(172,117)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0	0
Pension, net funding	(28,371)	(28,001)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(2,808)	2,050
Other	(8,812)	(10,109)
Total	(1,029,576)	(986,447)
Regulatory liabilities	15,814	7,307
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(19,096)	(16,703)
Sale and leaseback	0	0
Compensation	1,587	4,496
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	4,527	4,842
Provision for allowances and contingencies	5,904	7,266
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	140	575
Net operating loss carryforwards	0	0
Other	2,955	1,672
Total	23,733	20,306
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(21,804)	(40,693)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	11,902	10,851
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	0	0
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	(1,027,647)	(1,006,834)
System Energy [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(651,394)	(611,745)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(39,879)	(46,990)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(83,891)	(68,370)
Pension, net funding	(29,357)	(25,791)
Power purchase agreements		0
Deferred fuel	(1,137)	(18)
Other	(2,051)	(22,478)
Total	(807,709)	(775,392)
Regulatory liabilities	13,644	14,927
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(1,182)	(1,037)
Sale and leaseback	102,483	102,484
Compensation	360	0
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	15,936	17,385
Provision for allowances and contingencies	0	134
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0	0
Net operating loss carryforwards	0	0
Other	0	0
Total	184,354	173,313
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(489,510)	(416,996)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	0	0
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits	0
Deferred tax asset Nuclear Decommissioning Liabilities	53,113	39,420
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net, Noncurrent	$ (1,112,865)	$ (1,019,075)