Preferred Equity (Schedule Of Number Of Shares And Units Authorized And Outstanding And Dollar Value Of Preferred Stock) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	7,115,105	7,115,105
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	5,955,105	5,955,105
Preferred Stock, Value	$ 280,511	$ 280,511
Preferred Units, Value	94,000	94,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	3,413,500	3,413,500
Preferred Stock, Value	116,350	116,350
Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Preferred Units, Outstanding	100,000	100,000
Preferred Units, Value	10,000	10,000
Preferred Units, Call Price per Share	100
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Preferred Units, Outstanding	1,000,000	1,000,000
Preferred Units, Value	100,000	100,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	1,403,807	1,403,807
Preferred Stock, Value	50,381	50,381
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	197,798	197,798
Preferred Stock, Value	19,780	19,780
Utility Plants [Member]
Preferred Shares/Units, Authorized	6,115,105	6,115,105
Preferred Shares/Units, Outstanding	5,955,105	5,955,105
Preferred Shares/Units, Value	280,511	280,511
Preferred Stock, 4.32% - 6.45% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Shares/Units, Authorized	3,413,500	3,413,500
Preferred Shares/Units, Outstanding	3,413,500	3,413,500
Preferred Shares/Units, Value	116,350	116,350
Preferred Membership Interests, Series A, 8.25% [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	8.25%
Preferred Membership Interests, Series A, 8.25% [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Preferred Shares/Units, Authorized	100,000	100,000
Preferred Shares/Units, Outstanding	100,000	100,000
Preferred Shares/Units, Value	10,000	10,000
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	8.25%
Preferred Membership Interests, 6.95% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Preferred Shares/Units, Authorized	1,000,000	1,000,000
Preferred Shares/Units, Outstanding	840,000	840,000
Preferred Shares/Units, Value	84,000	84,000
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	6.95%
Preferred Stock, 4.36% - 6.25% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred Shares/Units, Authorized	1,403,807	1,403,807
Preferred Shares/Units, Outstanding	1,403,807	1,403,807
Preferred Shares/Units, Value	50,381	50,381
Preferred Stock, 4.36% - 5.56% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Preferred Shares/Units, Authorized	197,798	197,798
Preferred Shares/Units, Outstanding	197,798	197,798
Preferred Shares/Units, Value	19,780	19,780
Preferred Stock, 8.95% Rate [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Entergy Asset Management [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Authorized	1,000,000	1,000,000
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	8.95%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.32% Series [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	70,000	70,000
Preferred Stock, Value	7,000	7,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 103.65
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.32%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.72% Series [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	93,500	93,500
Preferred Stock, Value	9,350	9,350
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 107.00
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.72%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.36% Series [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	59,920	59,920
Preferred Stock, Value	5,992	5,992
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 103.88
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.36%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.36% Series [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	60,000	60,000
Preferred Stock, Value	6,000	6,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 104.58
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.36%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.56% Series [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	75,000	75,000
Preferred Stock, Value	7,500	7,500
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 102.83
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.56%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.56% Series [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	43,887	43,887
Preferred Stock, Value	4,389	4,389
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 107.00
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.56%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.56% 1965 Series [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	75,000	75,000
Preferred Stock, Value	7,500	7,500
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 102.50
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.56%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 6.08% Series [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	100,000	100,000
Preferred Stock, Value	10,000	10,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 102.83
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	6.08%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $25 Par Value, 6.45% Series [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	3,000,000	3,000,000
Preferred Stock, Value	75,000	75,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 25.00
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	6.45%
Preferred Membership Interests, Cumulative $100 Liquidation Value, 8.25% Series [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Preferred Units, Outstanding	100,000	100,000
Preferred Units, Value	10,000	10,000
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	8.25%
Preferred Membership Interests, Cumulative $100 Liquidation Value, 6.95% Series [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 100.00
Preferred Units, Outstanding	1,000,000	1,000,000
Preferred Units, Value	100,000	100,000
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	6.95%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.92% Series [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	100,000	100,000
Preferred Stock, Value	10,000	10,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 102.88
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.92%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $25 Par Value, 6.25% Series [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	1,200,000	1,200,000
Preferred Stock, Value	30,000	30,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 25.00
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	6.25%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 4.75% Series [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	77,798	77,798
Preferred Stock, Value	7,780	7,780
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 105.00
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.75%
Preferred Stock, Cumulative $100 Par Value, 5.56% Series [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding	60,000	60,000
Preferred Stock, Value	$ 6,000	$ 6,000
Preferred Stock, Call Price per Share	$ 102.59
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	5.56%
Preferred Class A [Member]
Outstanding class A preferred shares	278,905
Shares held by an affiliate	4,759
Minimum [Member] | Preferred Stock, 4.32% - 6.45% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.32%
Minimum [Member] | Preferred Stock, 4.36% - 6.25% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.36%
Minimum [Member] | Preferred Stock, 4.36% - 5.56% Series [Member] | Utility Plants [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Preferred stock/preferred membership interests rate	4.36%