Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Total		Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]		Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 9,291,089		$ 94,000		$ 2,548	$ (5,574,819)	$ 5,357,852	$ 9,704,591		$ (293,083)	$ 1,579,616	$ 470	$ 588,444	$ 990,702	$ 1,383,004	$ 10,000	$ 1,438,233	$ (65,229)	$ 3,070,496	$ 100,000	$ 3,016,628	$ (46,132)	$ 879,646	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 681,010	$ 195,565	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 125,527	$ 854,146	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 322,700	$ 832,729	$ 789,350	$ 43,379
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	335,038	[1]	9,915	[1]	0	0	0	325,123	[1]	0	55,202	0	0	55,202	56,885	0	56,885	0	106,753	0	106,753	0	32,888	0	0	32,888	1,905	0	0	1,905	11,875	0	0	11,875	55,740	0	55,740
Distribution to parent																			(20,601)	0	(20,601)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	18,780		0		0	0	0	0		18,780					1,917	0	0	1,917	1,361	0	0	1,361
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	29,249		0		0	31,348	(2,099)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(295,724)		0		0	0	0	(295,724)		0	15,000	0	0	15,000	(119,900)	0	(119,900)	0	201,254	0	201,254	0	7,400	0	0	7,400									(50,000)	0	(50,000)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(9,915)	[1]	(9,915)	[1]	0	0	0	0		0	(3,437)	0	0	(3,437)	(412)	0	(412)	0	(3,475)	0	(3,475)	0	(1,414)	0	0	(1,414)	(482)	0	0	(482)
Other															(20)	0	(20)	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2013	9,368,517		94,000		2,548	(5,543,471)	5,355,753	9,733,990		(274,303)	1,616,381	470	588,444	1,027,467	1,321,474	10,000	1,374,786	(63,312)	2,953,280	100,000	2,898,051	(44,771)	903,720	199,326	(690)	705,084	196,988	33,744	36,294	126,950	866,021	49,452	481,994	334,575	838,469	789,350	49,119
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2013
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	168,055										40,483				29,720				61,377				18,954				598				10,953				27,734
Other comprehensive income (loss)	29,355														962				683
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,332)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2013	9,368,517										1,616,381				1,321,474				2,953,280				903,720				196,988				866,021				838,469
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	9,726,466		94,000		2,548	(5,533,942)	5,368,131	9,825,053		(29,324)	1,719,718	470	588,471	1,130,777	1,460,977	10,000	1,479,179	(28,202)	2,975,652	100,000	2,885,287	(9,635)	951,577	199,326	(690)	752,941	206,283	33,744	36,294	136,245	887,027	49,452	481,994	355,581	876,107	789,350	86,757
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	600,334		9,777			0	0	590,557		0	57,375	0	0	57,375	82,643	0	82,643	0	128,045	0	128,045	0	52,403	0	0		14,668	0	0	14,668	31,750	0	0	31,750	50,550	0	50,550
Other comprehensive income (loss)	60,392		0		0	0	0	0		60,392					259	0	0	259	(589)	0	0	(589)
Partners' Capital Account, Contributions																			1,052	0	1,052	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(18,259)		0		0	18,259	0	0		0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	94,540		0		0	104,276	(9,736)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(297,228)		0			0	0	(297,228)		0					(77,845)	0	(77,845)	0	(135,823)	0	(135,823)	0									(40,000)	0	0	(40,000)	(45,000)	0	(45,000)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(9,777)	[1]	(9,777)	[1]		0		0		0	(3,437)	0	0	(3,437)	(415)	0	(415)	0	(3,494)	0	(3,494)	0	(1,414)	0	0	(1,414)	(482)	0	0	(482)
Other															(18)	0	(18)	0
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2014	10,156,468		94,000		2,548	(5,447,925)	5,358,395	10,118,382		31,068	1,773,656	470	588,471	1,184,715	1,465,601	10,000	1,483,544	(27,943)	2,964,843	100,000	2,875,067	(10,224)	1,002,566	199,326	(690)	803,930	220,469	33,744	36,294	150,431	878,777	49,452	481,994	347,331	881,657	789,350	92,307
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2014
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	194,281										29,005				36,171				69,667				26,564				6,374				18,585				25,931
Other comprehensive income (loss)	36,270														137				(287)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,898)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2014	$ 10,156,468										$ 1,773,656				$ 1,465,601				$ 2,964,843				$ 1,002,566				$ 220,469				$ 878,777				$ 881,657

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2014 and 2013 include $6.4 million and $6.6 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.