Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total		Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]		Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	$ 9,726,466		$ 94,000		$ 2,548	$ (5,533,942)	$ 5,368,131	$ 9,825,053		$ (29,324)	$ 1,719,718	$ 470	$ 588,471	$ 1,130,777	$ 2,975,652	$ 100,000	$ 2,885,287	$ (9,635)	$ 951,577	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 752,941	$ 206,283	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 136,245	$ 887,027	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 355,581	$ 876,107	$ 789,350	$ 86,757
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income (loss)	835,250	[1]	14,656	[1]	0	0	0	820,594	[1]	0	120,355	0	0	120,355	251,866	0	251,866	0	45,939	0	0	45,939	30,672	0	0	30,672	71,309	0	0	71,309	77,280	0	77,280
Net income attributable to Entergy Louisiana																							(2,072)	0	0	(2,072)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	49,708		0		0	0	0	0		49,708					(876)	0	0	(876)
Partners' Capital Account, Contributions															1,052	0	1,052	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(18,259)		0		0	(18,259)	0	0		0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	110,835		0		0	111,198	(363)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(446,309)		0		0	0	0	(446,309)		0					(228,212)	0	(228,212)	0	(25,000)	0	0	(25,000)	3,000	0	0	(3,000)	(40,000)	0	0	(40,000)	(77,977)	0	(77,977)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(14,656)	[1]	(14,656)	[1]	0	0	0	0		0	(5,155)	0	0	(5,155)	(5,232)	0	(5,232)	0	(2,121)	0	0	(2,121)	724	0	0	(724)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	10,243,035		94,000		2,548	(5,441,003)	5,367,768	10,199,338		20,384	1,834,918	470	588,471	1,245,977	2,994,250	100,000	2,904,761	(10,511)	970,395	199,326	(690)	771,759	231,159	33,744	36,294	161,121	918,336	49,452	481,994	386,890	875,410	789,350	86,060
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	10,101,725		94,000		2,548	(5,497,526)	5,375,353	10,169,657		(42,307)	1,824,237	470	588,471	1,235,296	2,916,424	100,000	2,842,300	(25,876)	962,170	199,326	(690)	763,534	228,025	33,744	36,294	157,987	891,831	49,452	481,994	360,385	870,511	789,350	81,161
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income (loss)	(261,583)	[1]	14,552	[1]	0	0	0	(276,135)	[1]	0	95,052	0	0	95,052	266,282	0	266,282	0	87,790	0	0	87,790	41,351	0	0	41,351	74,795	0	0	74,795	72,616	0	72,616
Net income attributable to Entergy Louisiana																							(2,203)	0	0	(2,203)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(75,491)		0		0	0	0	0		(75,491)					(94)	0	0	(94)
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(99,807)		0		0	(99,807)	0	0		0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	94,285		(94,000)		0	0	0	(285)		0					(100,000)	(100,000)	0	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	48,386		0		0	44,792	3,594	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(447,268)		0		0	0	0	(447,268)		0					(100,000)	0	(100,000)	0	(36,250)	0	0	(36,250)	7,250	0	0	(7,250)					(130,750)	0	(130,750)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(14,552)	[1]	(14,552)	[1]	0	0	0	0		0	(5,155)	0	0	(5,155)	(5,155)	0	(5,155)	0	(2,121)	0	0	(2,121)	724	0	0	(724)
Other															(7)	0	(7)	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 9,157,125		$ 0		$ 2,548	$ (5,552,541)	$ 5,378,947	$ 9,445,969		$ (117,798)	$ 1,914,134	$ 470	$ 588,471	$ 1,325,193	$ 2,977,450	$ 0	$ 3,003,420	$ (25,970)	$ 1,011,589	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 812,953	$ 259,199	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 189,161	$ 966,626	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 435,180	$ 812,377	$ 789,350	$ 23,027

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2015 and 2014 include $9.6 million and $9.7 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.