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, Common	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Noncontrolling Interest	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Noncontrolling Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Noncontrolling Interest	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Corporation [Member]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 11,705,394	$ 68,110	$ 6,766,239	$ 10,240,552	$ (332,528)	$ 2,720	$ (5,039,699)	$ 2,483,206	$ 38,750	$ 1,050,125	$ 1,344,879	$ 49,452	$ 1,839,568	$ 1,839,568	$ 0	$ 3,575,855	$ 3,542,745	$ 33,110	$ 8,180,572	$ 8,172,294	$ 8,278	$ 0	$ 638,715	$ 1,091,360	$ 139,510	$ 951,850
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	3,193							518					0			(1,387)			0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,580	4,580	0	0	0	0	0	518	0	0	518	0															$ 4,000
Consolidated net income	279,593	3,193	0	276,400	0	0	0	50,403	0	0	50,403	0	30,355	30,355	0	65,567	66,954	(1,387)	150,860	150,860	0	0	15,126	31,432	31,432	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	$ (205,058)	0	0	(205,058)	0	0	0												(125,000)	(125,000)	0	0
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 1.01
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	$ (4,580)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(4,050)	0	0	0	(4,050)	0	0												(613)	0	(613)	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(5,527)	0	31,085	0	0	0	(36,612)
Other																			(13)	(13)	0	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	11,776,826	66,723	6,735,154	10,311,894	(336,578)	2,720	(5,003,087)	2,533,091	38,750	1,050,125	1,394,764	49,452	1,869,923	1,869,923	0	3,641,422	3,609,699	31,723	8,205,806	8,198,141	7,665	0	653,841	1,122,792	170,942	951,850
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	13,064,892	97,907	7,632,895	10,502,041	(191,754)	2,797	(4,978,994)	2,679,461	38,750	1,050,125	1,541,134	49,452	2,040,537	2,037,190	3,347	3,781,815	3,753,990	27,825	9,493,448	9,406,343	55,370	31,735	702,816	949,767	(137,083)	1,086,850
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	1,364							518					(2,141)			(1,629)			554
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,580	4,580	0	0	0	0	0	518	0	0	518	0															$ 4,000
Consolidated net income	312,299	1,364	0	310,935	0	0	0	41,673	0	0	41,673	0	20,940	23,081	(2,141)	59,397	61,026	(1,629)	244,024	243,470	0	554	10,142	27,545	27,545	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(226,194)	0	0	(226,194)	0	0	0						(12,500)	(12,500)	0	(80,000)	(80,000)	0	(160,250)	(160,250)	0	0
Noncontrolling Interest, Increase from Subsidiary Equity Issuance	14,577	14,577	0	0	0	0	0												14,577	0	0	14,577
Noncontrolling Interest, Decrease from Distributions to Noncontrolling Interest Holders	$ (574)	(574)	0	0	0	0	0									(104)	0	(104)	(470)	0	0	(470)
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 1.07
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	$ (4,580)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	2,027	0	0	0	2,027	0	0												(786)	0	(786)	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent																			1,457,676	1,457,676	0	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(4,481)	0	15,118	0	0	0	(19,599)
Other																			(28)	(28)	0	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 13,166,928	$ 108,694	$ 7,617,777	$ 10,586,782	$ (189,727)	$ 2,797	$ (4,959,395)	$ 2,720,616	$ 38,750	$ 1,050,125	$ 1,582,289	$ 49,452	$ 2,048,977	$ 2,047,771	$ 1,206	$ 3,761,108	$ 3,735,016	$ 26,092	$ 11,048,191	$ 10,947,211	$ 54,584	$ 46,396	$ 712,958	$ 977,312	$ (109,538)	$ 1,086,850