Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity (USD $) In Thousands	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy New Orleans Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 470	$ 588,444	$ 855,210	$ 1,444,124	$ 10,000	$ 1,393,386	$ (69,610)	$ 1,333,776	$ 100,000	$ 2,504,436	$ (39,507)	$ 2,564,929	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 637,070	$ 835,706	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 111,127	$ 181,165	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 367,909	$ 899,355	$ 789,350	$ 11,213	$ 800,563	$ 94,000	$ 2,548	$ (5,680,468)	$ 5,360,682	$ 9,446,960	$ (168,452)	$ 9,055,270
Consolidated net income			59,629	59,629	0	78,748	0	78,748	0	164,009	0	164,009	0	0	24,596	24,596			7,226	7,226	0	0	17,948	17,948		61,904	61,904	10,526	0	0	0	213,318	0	223,844
Member contribution					0	1,000	0	1,000
Distribution to parent									0	600	0	600
Other comprehensive income (loss)					0	0	11,535	11,535	0	0	1,260	1,260																0	0	0	0	0	92,855	92,855
Common stock repurchased, value																												0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans																												0	0	60,817	(4,207)	0	0	56,610
Common stock dividends declared					0	(22,600)	0	(22,600)											(1,700)	(1,700)	0	0	(45,000)	(45,000)		(32,750)	(32,750)	0	0	0	0	(294,057)	0	(294,057)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries			(3,437)	(3,437)	0	(412)	0	(412)	0	(3,475)	0	(3,475)	0	0	(1,414)	(1,414)			(482)	(482)								(10,526)	0	0	0	0	0	(10,526)
Other					0	(12)	0	(12)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2012	470	588,444	911,402	1,500,316	10,000	1,450,110	(58,075)	1,402,035	100,000	2,664,370	(38,247)	2,726,123	199,326	(690)	660,252	858,888	33,744	36,294	116,171	186,209	49,452	481,994	340,857	872,303	789,350	40,367	829,717	94,000	2,548	(5,619,651)	5,356,475	9,366,221	(75,597)	9,123,996
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2012
Consolidated net income				45,755				50,389				130,714				15,914				7,186				16,204			35,368							370,583
Other comprehensive income (loss)								10,507				607																						(109,264)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries																																		(5,582)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2012	470	588,444		1,500,316				1,402,035				2,726,123				858,888	33,744	36,294		186,209				872,303	789,350		829,717							9,123,996
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	470	588,444	990,702	1,579,616	10,000	1,438,233	(65,229)	1,383,004	100,000	3,016,628	(46,132)	3,070,496	199,326	(690)	681,010	879,646	33,744	36,294	125,527	195,565	49,452	481,994	322,700	854,146	789,350	43,379	832,729	94,000	2,548	(5,574,819)	5,357,852	9,704,591	(293,083)	9,291,089
Consolidated net income	0	0	55,202	55,202	0	56,885	0	56,885	0	106,753	0	106,753	0	0	32,888	32,888	0	0	1,905	1,905	0	0	11,875	11,875	0	55,740	55,740	9,915	0	0	0	325,123	0	335,038
Member contribution					0	0	0	0
Distribution to parent									0	221,855	0	221,855
Other comprehensive income (loss)					0	0	1,917	1,917	0	0	1,361	1,361																0	0	0	0	0	18,780	18,780
Common stock issuances related to stock plans																												0	0	31,348	(2,099)	0	0	29,249
Common stock dividends declared	0	0	(15,000)	(15,000)	0	(119,900)	0	(119,900)					0	0	(7,400)	(7,400)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	(50,000)	(50,000)	0	0	0	0	(295,724)	0	(295,724)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	0	0	(3,437)	(3,437)	0	(412)	0	(412)	0	(3,475)	0	(3,475)	0	0	(1,414)	(1,414)	0	0	(482)	(482)								(9,915)	0	0	0	0	0	(9,915)
Other					0	(20)	0	(20)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2013	470	588,444	1,027,467	1,616,381	10,000	1,374,786	(63,312)	1,321,474	100,000	2,898,051	(44,771)	2,953,280	199,326	(690)	705,084	903,720	33,744	36,294	126,950	196,988	49,452	481,994	334,575	866,021	789,350	49,119	838,469	94,000	2,548	(5,543,471)	5,355,753	9,733,990	(274,303)	9,368,517
Beginning Balance at Mar. 31, 2013
Consolidated net income				40,483				29,720				61,377				18,954				598				10,953			27,734							168,055
Other comprehensive income (loss)								962				683																						29,355
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries																																		(4,332)
Ending Balance at Jun. 30, 2013				$ 1,616,381				$ 1,321,474				$ 2,953,280				$ 903,720				$ 196,988				$ 866,021			$ 838,469							$ 9,368,517