Leases (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended																				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Aug. 31, 2010 Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy Louisiana [Member] Waterford 3 [Member]	Dec. 31, 1989 Entergy Louisiana [Member] Waterford 3 [Member] transaction	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Entergy Texas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Entergy Texas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Entergy Texas [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 System Energy [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 System Energy [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 System Energy [Member]	Dec. 31, 1988 System Energy [Member] Grand Gulf [Member] transaction	Dec. 31, 2013 System Energy [Member] Grand Gulf [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 System Energy [Member] Grand Gulf [Member]
Rent expense	$ 63,700,000	$ 69,900,000	$ 75,300,000	$ 12,000,000	$ 12,600,000	$ 13,400,000		$ 10,900,000	$ 11,900,000	$ 12,200,000	$ 10,100,000	$ 11,200,000	$ 12,200,000			$ 4,600,000	$ 5,500,000	$ 5,200,000	$ 1,300,000	$ 1,500,000	$ 1,700,000	$ 4,100,000	$ 6,400,000	$ 8,400,000	$ 2,500,000	$ 1,500,000	$ 1,600,000
Operating lease payment and oil tank facilities lease payments				8,600,000	8,500,000	8,300,000		2,200,000	1,700,000	2,000,000						3,400,000	3,400,000	3,400,000
Number of sale leaseback transactions															3													2
Sale and lease back transaction amount															353,600,000														500,000,000
Expiration period of sale and lease back transaction														2017-07															2015-07
Value of non interest bearing first mortgage bonds							124,100,000.0							208,200,000
Minimum percentage of adjusted capitalization to be maintained as total equity capital	30.00%
Minimum fixed charge coverage ratio to be maintained														1.50
Rolling period of fixed charge coverage ratio														12 months
Implicit rate of future minimum lease payments											7.45%														5.13%
Regulatory Asset				18,600,000												64,300,000	57,400,000		34,900,000	29,900,000		15,100,000	11,500,000		56,000,000	56,800,000			0
Net regulatory liability related to sale and leaseback transaction					$ 12,200,000			$ 35,300,000	$ 22,000,000		$ 37,000,000	$ 9,200,000																	$ 61,600,000	$ 27,800,000