Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit, Short-Term Borrowings, And Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	May 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility			$ 3,500,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist			$ 20,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.225%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 390,000
Commercial Paper program limit			2,000,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding			$ 1,945,000
Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate			2.31%
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate			3.34%
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings			$ 0	$ 49,974
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			250,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist			5,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			600	200
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Four Point Zero Percent Series Due June 2028 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt	$ 250,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.00%
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Preferred Stock 4.72% Series [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 9,400
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.72%
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Preferred Stock 4.32% Series [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 7,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.32%
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Preferred Stock 4.56% Series [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 15,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.56%
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings			0	43,540
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			450,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist			15,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Four Point Zero Zero Percent due March Twenty Thirty Three [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt		$ 750,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		4.00%
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point Zero Percent Series Due May Twenty Eighteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 375,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	6.00%
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			175,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			200	100
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			200,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist			30,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount				50
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings			38,873	$ 17,830
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			200,000
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility			$ 145,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.20%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 108,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.26%
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			$ 150,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist			10,000
System Energy VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 38,900
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
System Energy VIE [Member] | Three Point Seven Eight Percent Series I Notes Due October Two Thousand Eighteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.78%
System Energy VIE [Member] | Three Point Four Two Percent Series J Notes Due April Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt		$ 100,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		3.42%	3.42%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 41,700
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member] | Three Point Six Five Percent Series L Notes Due July Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.65%
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 45,400
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member] | Three Point Nine Two Percent Series H Dues February Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.92%
Entergy Louisiana River Bend VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 44,800
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.275%
Consolidated debt ratio			0.65
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio			0.65
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization			70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio			0.65
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization			70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio			0.65
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio			0.65
Maximum [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization			70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio			0.65
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.075%
Credit Facility Of Three Hundred Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility		$ 350,000	$ 350,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			9,100
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.34%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility			$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			0
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.34%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility			$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			24,400
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.59%