Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 7,992,515	$ 0	$ 5,433,433	$ 7,977,702	$ (23,531)	$ 2,548	$ (5,397,637)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								$ 2,376,754	$ 5,308,804	$ 5,355,204	$ (46,400)	$ 1,177,870	$ 415,548	$ 1,260,167	$ 596,994	$ 613,721	$ 49,452	$ 710,809	$ 52,459	$ 658,350
Consolidated net income	385,059	6,878	0	378,181	0	0	0	118,811	295,952	295,952	0	61,085	29,151	48,139	0	48,139	0	45,695	45,695	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash								714				477
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(321,821)	0	0	(321,821)	0	0	0		(56,000)	(56,000)	0		(14,500)					(63,240)	(6,740)	(56,500)
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	6,878	6,878	0	0	0	0	0	714				477
Other comprehensive income (loss)	27,001	0	0	0	27,001	0	0		(1,002)	0	(1,002)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(19,483)	0	4,029	0	0	0	(23,512)
Other									13	13	0
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings, Tax Effect	(16,538)	0	0	(32,043)	15,505	0	0		(3,787)	6,262	(10,049)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	8,022,461	0	5,429,404	8,578,276	(613,642)	2,548	(5,374,125)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								2,844,851	5,543,980	5,601,431	(57,451)	1,238,478	430,199	1,308,306	596,994	661,860	49,452	693,264	91,414	601,850
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	8,844,305	0	5,951,431	8,721,150	(557,173)	2,616	(5,273,719)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								2,983,103	5,902,918	5,909,071	(6,153)	1,292,226	444,950	1,422,402	596,994	775,956	49,452	737,198	135,348	601,850
Consolidated net income	499,180	8,219	0	490,961	0	0	0	89,420	310,717	310,717	0	42,065	22,026	60,278	0	60,278	0	48,050	48,050	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(345,452)	0	0	(345,452)	0	0	0	(115,000)	(102,000)	(102,000)	0							(88,000)	(88,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	8,219	8,219	0	0	0	0	0	0				0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	133,575	0	0	0	133,575	0	0		(1,938)	0	(1,938)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	607,650	0	607,566	0	0	84	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(7)	0	(7)	0	0	0	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(66,471)	0	19,457	0	0	0	(85,928)
Other									(25)	(25)	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 9,797,503	$ 0	$ 6,539,533	$ 8,873,465	$ (430,404)	$ 2,700	$ (5,187,791)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								$ 2,957,523	$ 6,109,672	$ 6,117,763	$ (8,091)	$ 1,334,291	$ 466,976	$ 1,482,680	$ 596,994	$ 836,234	$ 49,452	$ 697,248	$ 95,398	$ 601,850