Decommissioning Trust Funds (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Jan. 01, 2019	Jan. 01, 2018
Debt Securities, Trading, Measurement Input	$ 499,000		$ 499,000		$ 389,000
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Financial Liability, Fair Value Option, after Tax						$ (6,806)	$ (632,617)
Deferred taxes on unrealized gains/(losses) recorded in OCI for non-regulated decommissioning trusts	8,096	$ (2,842)	16,169	$ 2,533
Amortized cost of debt securities	$ 2,849,000		$ 2,849,000		2,511,000
Average coupon rate of debt securities	3.15%		3.15%
Average duration of debt securities, years			5 years 3 months 29 days
Average maturity of debt securities, years			8 years 6 months 3 days
Proceeds from the dispositions of debt securities	$ 361,000	710,000	$ 726,000	1,801,000
Gains from dispositions of debt securities, gross	6,000	1,000	8,000	2,000
Losses from dispositions of debt securities, gross	1,000	15,000	3,000	22,000
Equity Securities, FV-NI, Unrealized Gain	7,000		278,000
Debt Securities [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Deferred taxes on unrealized gains/(losses) recorded in OCI for non-regulated decommissioning trusts			15,000		(1,000)
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Amortized cost of debt securities	$ 393,200		$ 393,200		389,000
Average coupon rate of debt securities	2.75%		2.75%
Average duration of debt securities, years			4 years 9 months 3 days
Average maturity of debt securities, years			7 years 2 months 19 days
Proceeds from the dispositions of debt securities	$ 22,300	86,500	$ 33,200	121,400
Gains from dispositions of debt securities, gross	100	10	100	100
Losses from dispositions of debt securities, gross	18	2,300	100	2,400
Equity Securities, FV-NI, Unrealized Gain	23,000		93,800
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Amortized cost of debt securities	$ 550,000		$ 550,000		534,800
Average coupon rate of debt securities	3.87%		3.87%
Average duration of debt securities, years			6 years 5 months 15 days
Average maturity of debt securities, years			12 years 11 months 26 days
Proceeds from the dispositions of debt securities	$ 39,500	43,900	$ 95,700	169,400
Gains from dispositions of debt securities, gross	1,400	10	1,700	500
Losses from dispositions of debt securities, gross	50	400	$ 200	1,200
Percentage Interest in River Bend			30.00%
Equity Securities, FV-NI, Unrealized Gain	32,300		$ 131,100
System Energy [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Amortized cost of debt securities	$ 372,700		$ 372,700		367,100
Average coupon rate of debt securities	2.98%		2.98%
Average duration of debt securities, years			6 years 6 months 21 days
Average maturity of debt securities, years			9 years 1 month 17 days
Proceeds from the dispositions of debt securities	$ 87,700	145,200	$ 129,800	199,400
Gains from dispositions of debt securities, gross	1,500	200	1,900	300
Losses from dispositions of debt securities, gross	300	$ 3,900	400	$ 4,500
Equity Securities, FV-NI, Unrealized Gain	21,800		89,200
Indian Point 3 [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Decommissioning Fund Investments, Fair Value	876,000		876,000		781,000
Indian Point 1 [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Decommissioning Fund Investments, Fair Value	525,000		525,000		471,000
Indian Point 2 [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Decommissioning Fund Investments, Fair Value	664,000		664,000		598,000
Palisades [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Decommissioning Fund Investments, Fair Value	489,000		489,000		444,000
Pilgrim [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Decommissioning Fund Investments, Fair Value	$ 1,035,000		$ 1,035,000		1,028,000
Vermont Yankee [Member]
Decommissioning Trust Funds [Abstract]
Decommissioning Fund Investments, Fair Value					$ 532,000