Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 37,691	$ 30,490	$ 75,382	$ 60,980
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	65,232	59,248	130,464	118,496
Expected return on assets	(79,356)	(75,319)	(158,712)	(150,638)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	683	838	1,366	1,676
Amortization of loss	41,820	23,244	83,640	46,488
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	66,070	38,501	132,140	77,002
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,542	4,518	11,084	9,036
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	13,922	12,991	27,844	25,982
Expected return on assets	(16,441)	(15,609)	(32,882)	(31,218)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	50	115	100	230
Amortization of loss	10,193	6,421	20,386	12,842
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	13,266	8,436	26,532	16,872
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,068	2,462	6,136	4,924
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	6,420	5,928	12,840	11,856
Expected return on assets	(8,593)	(8,339)	(17,186)	(16,678)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	5	20	10	40
Amortization of loss	4,043	2,279	8,086	4,558
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	4,943	2,350	9,886	4,700
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,669	2,886	7,338	5,772
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	8,800	8,159	17,600	16,318
Expected return on assets	(10,209)	(9,716)	(20,418)	(19,432)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	52	70	104	140
Amortization of loss	7,050	4,497	14,100	8,994
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	9,362	5,896	18,724	11,792
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,602	1,327	3,204	2,654
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,070	3,909	8,140	7,818
Expected return on assets	(5,236)	(5,038)	(10,472)	(10,076)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	7	38	14	76
Amortization of loss	2,633	1,680	5,266	3,360
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3,076	1,916	6,152	3,832
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	706	561	1,412	1,122
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,902	1,762	3,804	3,524
Expected return on assets	(2,215)	(2,114)	(4,430)	(4,228)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	2	9	4	18
Amortization of loss	1,719	1,166	3,438	2,332
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,114	1,384	4,228	2,768
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,421	1,197	2,842	2,394
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,206	3,993	8,412	7,986
Expected return on assets	(5,581)	(5,501)	(11,162)	(11,002)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	4	16	8	32
Amortization of loss	2,544	1,394	5,088	2,788
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,594	1,099	5,188	2,198
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,480	1,235	2,960	2,470
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,247	2,939	6,494	5,878
Expected return on assets	(4,109)	(3,784)	(8,218)	(7,568)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	3	4	6	8
Amortization of loss	2,251	1,321	4,502	2,642
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	2,872	1,715	5,744	3,430
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	17,221	14,835	34,442	29,670
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	20,640	18,631	41,280	37,262
Expected return on assets	(8,626)	(7,369)	(17,252)	(14,738)
Amortization of transition obligation	794	796	1,588	1,592
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(4,541)	(3,518)	(9,082)	(7,036)
Amortization of loss	9,113	5,298	18,226	10,596
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	34,601	28,673	69,202	57,346
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,272	2,013	4,544	4,026
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,613	3,436	7,226	6,872
Expected return on assets	(3,507)	(2,882)	(7,014)	(5,764)
Amortization of transition obligation	205	205	410	410
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(133)	(133)	(266)	(266)
Amortization of loss	2,077	1,610	4,154	3,220
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	4,527	4,249	9,054	8,498
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,880	1,540	3,760	3,080
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,398	2,075	4,796	4,150
Amortization of transition obligation	60	60	120	120
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(206)	(206)	(412)	(412)
Amortization of loss	1,184	723	2,368	1,446
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	5,316	4,192	10,632	8,384
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,949	1,635	3,898	3,270
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,445	2,192	4,890	4,384
Amortization of transition obligation	96	96	192	192
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(62)	(62)	(124)	(124)
Amortization of loss	1,090	698	2,180	1,396
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	5,518	4,559	11,036	9,118
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	773	658	1,546	1,316
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,179	1,093	2,358	2,186
Expected return on assets	(1,130)	(977)	(2,260)	(1,954)
Amortization of transition obligation	88	88	176	176
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(35)	(35)	(70)	(70)
Amortization of loss	730	540	1,460	1,080
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,605	1,367	3,210	2,734
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	422	362	844	724
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	856	806	1,712	1,612
Expected return on assets	(928)	(800)	(1,856)	(1,600)
Amortization of transition obligation	297	298	594	596
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	10	10	20	20
Amortization of loss	390	241	780	482
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,047	917	2,094	1,834
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	913	769	1,826	1,538
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,663	1,486	3,326	2,972
Expected return on assets	(2,104)	(1,874)	(4,208)	(3,748)
Amortization of transition obligation	47	47	94	94
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(107)	(107)	(214)	(214)
Amortization of loss	1,079	700	2,158	1,400
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,491	1,021	2,982	2,042
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	823	661	1,646	1,322
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	757	667	1,514	1,334
Expected return on assets	(650)	(529)	(1,300)	(1,058)
Amortization of transition obligation	2	2	4	4
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(16)	(147)	(32)	(294)
Amortization of loss	493	369	986	738
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	1,409	1,023	2,818	2,046
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	5,100	4,900	10,200	9,800
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	107	115	214	230
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	39	42	78	84
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	3	4	6	8
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	46	48	92	96
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	19	16	38	32
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost	$ 163	$ 192	$ 326	$ 384