Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 33,606	$ 38,752	$ 67,213	$ 77,504
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	73,912	66,854	147,853	133,708
Expected return on assets	(103,859)	(110,535)	(207,743)	(221,070)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	0	99	0	198
Amortization of loss	58,420	68,526	116,838	137,052
Net other postretirement benefit cost	62,241	63,696	125,460	127,392
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	162	0	1,299	0
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,261	6,189	10,522	12,378
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	14,175	13,004	28,350	26,008
Expected return on assets	(20,176)	(21,851)	(40,352)	(43,702)
Amortization of loss	11,841	13,412	23,682	26,824
Net other postretirement benefit cost	11,101	10,754	22,202	21,508
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	7,284	8,446	14,568	16,892
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	15,882	14,940	31,764	29,880
Expected return on assets	(22,652)	(24,809)	(45,304)	(49,618)
Amortization of loss	11,643	14,450	23,286	28,900
Net other postretirement benefit cost	12,157	13,027	24,314	26,054
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,629	1,822	3,258	3,644
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,068	3,769	8,136	7,538
Expected return on assets	(5,968)	(6,502)	(11,936)	(13,004)
Amortization of loss	3,105	3,610	6,209	7,220
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,834	2,699	5,667	5,398
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	569	673	1,138	1,346
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,874	1,813	3,748	3,626
Expected return on assets	(2,697)	(2,993)	(5,393)	(5,986)
Amortization of loss	1,530	1,954	3,059	3,908
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,276	1,447	2,552	2,894
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,350	1,589	2,700	3,178
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,612	3,348	7,224	6,696
Expected return on assets	(5,862)	(6,523)	(11,724)	(13,046)
Amortization of loss	2,334	2,626	4,668	5,252
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,434	1,040	2,868	2,080
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,550	1,776	3,100	3,552
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,363	3,227	6,727	6,454
Expected return on assets	(4,677)	(4,991)	(9,354)	(9,982)
Amortization of loss	2,850	3,715	5,700	7,430
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,086	3,727	6,173	7,454
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	4,675	6,782	9,350	13,564
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	11,975	12,681	23,950	25,362
Expected return on assets	(9,562)	(10,373)	(19,124)	(20,746)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(8,844)	(9,251)	(17,688)	(18,502)
Amortization of loss	358	3,432	716	6,864
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(1,398)	3,271	(2,796)	6,542
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	591	793	1,182	1,586
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,807	1,997	3,614	3,994
Expected return on assets	(3,991)	(4,342)	(7,982)	(8,684)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1,238)	(1,278)	(2,476)	(2,556)
Amortization of loss	144	289	288	578
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(2,687)	(2,541)	(5,374)	(5,082)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,160	1,556	2,320	3,112
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,666	2,789	5,332	5,578
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1,837)	(1,934)	(3,674)	(3,868)
Amortization of loss	(174)	388	(348)	776
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,815	2,799	3,630	5,598
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	262	321	524	642
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	670	683	1,340	1,366
Expected return on assets	(1,199)	(1,303)	(2,398)	(2,606)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(439)	(456)	(878)	(912)
Amortization of loss	181	377	362	754
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(525)	(378)	(1,050)	(756)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	92	129	184	258
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	395	417	790	834
Expected return on assets	(1,237)	(1,313)	(2,474)	(2,626)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(171)	(186)	(342)	(372)
Amortization of loss	58	34	116	68
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(863)	(919)	(1,726)	(1,838)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	236	330	472	660
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	854	939	1,708	1,878
Expected return on assets	(2,276)	(2,446)	(4,552)	(4,892)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(561)	(579)	(1,122)	(1,158)
Amortization of loss	121	206	242	412
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(1,626)	(1,550)	(3,252)	(3,100)
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	243	306	486	612
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	476	500	952	1,000
Expected return on assets	(697)	(783)	(1,394)	(1,566)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(363)	(378)	(726)	(756)
Amortization of loss	89	233	178	466
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(252)	(122)	(504)	(244)
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	7,600	6,600	11,600	15,500
Settlement Charge Associated With Out Of Plan Payment Of Lump Sum Benefits	3,700	2,400	3,700	6,800
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	71	122	144	254
Settlement Charge Associated With Out Of Plan Payment Of Lump Sum Benefits		10		22
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	41	46	84	96
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	113	77	188	157
Settlement Charge Associated With Out Of Plan Payment Of Lump Sum Benefits	40		40
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	6	21	11	42
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	$ 122	270	$ 246	407
Settlement Charge Associated With Out Of Plan Payment Of Lump Sum Benefits		$ 139		$ 139