Revenue Recognition (Disaggregation of Revenue) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Electric Revenue		$ 2,330,225	$ 2,271,220	$ 4,578,486	$ 4,262,960
Gas Domestic Regulated Revenue		29,943	30,075	86,638	73,426
Competitive Energy Revenue		308,602	317,255	727,526	870,622
TOTAL		2,668,770	2,618,550	5,392,650	5,207,008
Residential [Member]
Electric Revenue		768,710		1,660,795
Commercial [Member]
Electric Revenue		581,899		1,177,620
Industrial [Member]
Electric Revenue		624,818		1,222,004
Governmental [Member]
Electric Revenue		56,823		113,301
Sales for Resale [Member]
Electric Revenue	[1]	69,212		138,738
Other Electric [Member]
Electric Revenue	[2]	219,391		246,822
Non-Customer [Member]
Electric Revenue	[3]	9,372		19,206
Competitive Energy Revenue	[3]	(22,960)		(13,171)
Competitive Business Sales [Member]
Competitive Energy Revenue	[1]	331,562		740,697
Retail [Member]
Electric Revenue		2,032,250		4,173,720
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Electric Revenue		494,605	496,662	1,045,629	971,013
Gas Domestic Regulated Revenue		0		0
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Residential [Member]
Electric Revenue		159,130		394,654
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Commercial [Member]
Electric Revenue		93,741		214,375
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Industrial [Member]
Electric Revenue		97,973		209,450
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Governmental [Member]
Electric Revenue		3,766		8,414
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Sales for Resale [Member]
Electric Revenue	[1]	53,195		119,299
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Other Electric [Member]
Electric Revenue	[2]	84,102		94,125
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Non-Customer [Member]
Electric Revenue	[3]	2,698		5,312
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Retail [Member]
Electric Revenue		354,610		826,893
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Electric Revenue		1,061,689	1,072,126	2,066,795	1,936,202
Gas Domestic Regulated Revenue		11,099	11,308	35,337	28,015
TOTAL		1,072,788	1,083,434	2,102,132	1,964,217
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Residential [Member]
Electric Revenue		267,915		563,433
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Commercial [Member]
Electric Revenue		221,740		446,667
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Industrial [Member]
Electric Revenue		368,678		721,014
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Governmental [Member]
Electric Revenue		16,705		34,015
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Sales for Resale [Member]
Electric Revenue	[1]	111,801		201,056
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Other Electric [Member]
Electric Revenue	[2]	70,027		90,529
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Non-Customer [Member]
Electric Revenue	[3]	4,823		10,081
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Retail [Member]
Electric Revenue		875,038		1,765,129
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Electric Revenue		353,689	291,212	669,432	549,655
Gas Domestic Regulated Revenue		0		0
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Residential [Member]
Electric Revenue		132,730		281,073
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Commercial [Member]
Electric Revenue		117,351		227,811
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Industrial [Member]
Electric Revenue		46,129		88,629
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Governmental [Member]
Electric Revenue		11,452		22,300
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Sales for Resale [Member]
Electric Revenue	[1]	11,776		13,769
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Other Electric [Member]
Electric Revenue	[2]	31,696		30,977
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Non-Customer [Member]
Electric Revenue	[3]	2,555		4,873
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Retail [Member]
Electric Revenue		307,662		619,813
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Electric Revenue		159,602	157,455	315,420	299,800
Gas Domestic Regulated Revenue		18,844	18,767	51,301	45,411
TOTAL		178,446	176,222	366,721	345,211
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Residential [Member]
Electric Revenue		58,232		122,807
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Commercial [Member]
Electric Revenue		54,524		108,796
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Industrial [Member]
Electric Revenue		9,267		16,838
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Governmental [Member]
Electric Revenue		18,448		36,139
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Sales for Resale [Member]
Electric Revenue	[1]	6,190		19,527
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Other Electric [Member]
Electric Revenue	[2]	11,623		8,511
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Non-Customer [Member]
Electric Revenue	[3]	1,318		2,802
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Retail [Member]
Electric Revenue		140,471		284,580
Entergy Texas [Member]
Electric Revenue		403,486	378,488	752,426	742,415
Gas Domestic Regulated Revenue		0		0
Entergy Texas [Member] | Residential [Member]
Electric Revenue		150,703		298,828
Entergy Texas [Member] | Commercial [Member]
Electric Revenue		94,544		179,971
Entergy Texas [Member] | Industrial [Member]
Electric Revenue		102,771		186,073
Entergy Texas [Member] | Governmental [Member]
Electric Revenue		6,452		12,433
Entergy Texas [Member] | Sales for Resale [Member]
Electric Revenue	[1]	25,177		48,538
Entergy Texas [Member] | Other Electric [Member]
Electric Revenue	[2]	23,468		25,733
Entergy Texas [Member] | Non-Customer [Member]
Electric Revenue	[3]	371		850
Entergy Texas [Member] | Retail [Member]
Electric Revenue		354,470		677,305
System Energy [Member]
Electric Revenue		$ 112,456	$ 164,956	$ 260,899	$ 319,743

[1] Sales for resale and competitive businesses sales include day-ahead sales of energy in a market administered by an ISO. These sales represent financially binding commitments for the sale of physical energy the next day. These sales are adjusted to actual power generated and delivered in the real time market. Given the short duration of these transactions, Entergy does not consider them to be derivatives subject to fair value adjustments, and includes them as part of customer revenues.

[2] Other electric revenues consist primarily of transmission and ancillary services provided to participants of an ISO-administered market and unbilled revenue.

[3] Non-customer revenues include the settlement of financial hedges, occasional sales of inventory, alternative revenue programs, provisions for revenue subject to refund, and late fees.