Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit, Short-Term Borrowings, And Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended						6 Months Ended
		Jul. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	May 31, 2016	Apr. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Jan. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility			$ 3,500,000					$ 3,500,000
Issuance of letters of credit, percentage of total borrowing capacity			50.00%					50.00%
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			$ 1,000					$ 1,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage								0.275%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			240,000					$ 240,000
Commercial Paper program limit			1,500,000					1,500,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding			$ 853,000					$ 853,000
Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate			1.13%					1.13%
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate			2.28%					2.28%
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			$ 250,000					$ 250,000
Issuance of letters of credit, percentage of total borrowing capacity			50.00%					50.00%
Consolidated debt ratio			65.00%					65.00%
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Five Point Sixty Six Percent Series due February Two Thousand Twenty Five [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage							5.66%
Redemption of debt instrument							$ 175,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Three Point Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due April Two Thousand Twenty Six [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.50%				3.50%	3.50%
Issuance Of Debt			$ 55,000				$ 325,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			$ 450,000					$ 450,000
Issuance of letters of credit, percentage of total borrowing capacity			50.00%					50.00%
Consolidated debt ratio			65.00%					65.00%
Cash payment representing the purchase price to acquire the undivided interests in Waterford 3						$ 60,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Four Point Ninety Five Percent Series, Due January Two Thousand Forty Five [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						4.95%
Issuance Of Debt						$ 200,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Three Point Two Five Percent Series, Due April Twenty Twenty Eight [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						3.25%
Issuance Of Debt						$ 425,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Notes, Waterford 3 Series [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt						$ 51,972
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Three Point Zero Five Percent Series Due June Two Thousand Thirty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				3.05%
Issuance Of Debt				$ 325,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point Two Percent Series Due July Two Thousand Thirty Three [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				6.20%
Redemption of debt instrument				$ 240,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point One Eight Percent Series Due March Two Thousand Thirty Five [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				6.18%
Redemption of debt instrument				$ 85,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Governmental Bonds, Three Point Three Seven Five Percent, Due September Twenty Twenty Eight [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						3.375%
Issuance Of Debt						$ 83,680
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Governmental Bonds, Three Point Five Zero Percent, Due June Twenty Thirty [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						3.50%
Issuance Of Debt						$ 115,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Pollution Control Revenue Bonds [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument					$ 198,680
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			$ 175,000					$ 175,000
Consolidated debt ratio			65.00%					65.00%
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Two Point Eight Five Percent Series Due June Two Thousand Twenty Eight [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				2.85%
Issuance Of Debt				$ 375,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Three Point Two Five Percent Series Due June Two Thousand Sixteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.25%					3.25%
Redemption of debt instrument			$ 125,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point Zero Percent Series Due November Two Thousand Thirty Two [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			6.00%					6.00%
Redemption of debt instrument			$ 75,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point Two Five Percent Series Due April Two Thousand Thirty Four [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			6.25%					6.25%
Redemption of debt instrument			$ 100,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Governmental Bonds Four Point Nine Zero Percent Series Due Two Thousand Twenty Two Independence County [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			4.90%					4.90%
Redemption of debt instrument			$ 30,000
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Letters of credit posted to cover derivative exposure			1,400					$ 1,400
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			$ 200,000					$ 200,000
Issuance of letters of credit, percentage of total borrowing capacity			50.00%					50.00%
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			$ 1,400					$ 1,400
Consolidated debt ratio			65.00%					65.00%
Entergy Texas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Two Point Five Five Series, Due June Twenty Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						2.55%
Issuance Of Debt						$ 125,000
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			$ 200,000					$ 200,000
System Energy [Member] | Five Point Eight Seven Five Percent Governmental Bonds Due 2022 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				5.875%
Redemption of debt instrument				$ 22,000
Long-term Debt, Gross				$ 156,000
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility						$ 100,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage								0.25%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			59,000					$ 59,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period								2.21%
Uncommitted Credit Facility			85,000					$ 85,000
Uncommitted Line of Credit Facility Interest Rate During Period								2.21%
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings			100,000					$ 100,000
Issuance of letters of credit, limit of total borrowing capacity			$ 10,000					$ 10,000
Consolidated debt ratio			65.00%					65.00%
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Five Point Five Zero Percent Series, Due April Twenty Sixty Six [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						5.50%
Issuance Of Debt						$ 110,000
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Four Percent Series Due June Two Thousand Twenty Six [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage				4.00%
Issuance Of Debt				$ 85,000
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Five Point Six Percent Series Due September Two Thousand Twenty Four [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			5.60%					5.60%
Redemption of debt instrument			$ 33,271
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Five Point Six Five Percent Series Due September Two Thousand Twenty Nine [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			5.65%					5.65%
Redemption of debt instrument			$ 37,772
System Energy VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 99,600					$ 99,600
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount								0.125%
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization								70.00%
System Energy VIE [Member] | Three Point Seven Eight Percent Series I Notes Due October Two Thousand Eighteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.78%					3.78%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 12,600					$ 12,600
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount								0.10%
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization								70.00%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member] | Three Point Six Five Percent Series L Notes Due July Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.65%					3.65%
Entergy Louisiana VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount								0.10%
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization								70.00%
Entergy Louisiana VIE [Member] | Variable Interest Entity Notes Payable Three Point Three Zero Percent Series F Due March Two Thousand Sixteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage						3.30%
Redemption of debt instrument						$ 20,000
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 59,500					$ 59,500
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member] | Three Point Nine Two Percent Series H Dues February Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			3.92%					3.92%
Entergy Louisiana River Bend VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 0					$ 0
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage								0.275%
Consolidated debt ratio			65.00%					65.00%
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage								0.075%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	[1]		$ 150,000					$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			0					0
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			0					$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period	[2]							1.71%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	[3]		150,000					$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			1,300					1,300
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding			$ 0					$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period	[2]							1.96%
Subsequent Event [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point Three Eight Percent Series Due November Twenty Thirty Four [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		6.38%
Redemption of debt instrument		$ 60,000
Subsequent Event [Member] | Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member] | Variable Interest Entity Notes Payable Three Point Two Three Percent Series J Due July Two Thousand Sixteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		3.23%
Redemption of debt instrument		$ 55,000

[1] The credit facility allows Entergy Arkansas to issue letters of credit against 50% of the borrowing capacity of the facility.

[2] The interest rate is the rate as of June 30, 2016 that would most likely apply to outstanding borrowings under the facility.

[3] The credit facility allows Entergy Texas to issue letters of credit against 50% of the borrowing capacity of the facility.