Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2015
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 35,811	$ 43,762	$ 71,622	$ 87,524
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	65,403	75,694	130,806	151,388
Expected return on assets	(97,366)	(98,655)	(194,732)	(197,310)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	270	390	540	780
Amortization of loss	48,824	58,981	97,648	117,962
Defined Benefit Plan, Special Termination Benefits			0	76
Net other postretirement benefit cost	52,942	80,172	105,884	160,420
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,181	6,661	10,362	13,322
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	13,055	15,471	26,110	30,942
Expected return on assets	(19,772)	(20,026)	(39,544)	(40,052)
Amortization of loss	10,936	13,564	21,872	27,128
Net other postretirement benefit cost	9,400	15,670	18,800	31,340
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	7,049	8,599	14,098	17,198
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	14,870	17,367	29,740	34,734
Expected return on assets	(22,096)	(22,701)	(44,192)	(45,402)
Amortization of loss	11,946	14,951	23,892	29,902
Net other postretirement benefit cost	11,769	18,216	23,538	36,432
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,562	1,982	3,124	3,964
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,811	4,502	7,622	9,004
Expected return on assets	(5,981)	(6,105)	(11,962)	(12,210)
Amortization of loss	2,985	3,724	5,970	7,448
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,377	4,103	4,754	8,206
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	656	849	1,312	1,698
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,814	2,108	3,628	4,216
Expected return on assets	(2,687)	(2,725)	(5,374)	(5,450)
Amortization of loss	1,615	2,013	3,230	4,026
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,398	2,245	2,796	4,490
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,416	1,645	2,832	3,290
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,557	4,354	7,114	8,708
Expected return on assets	(6,062)	(6,222)	(12,124)	(12,444)
Amortization of loss	2,340	3,238	4,680	6,476
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,251	3,015	2,502	6,030
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,566	1,957	3,132	3,914
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,992	3,493	5,984	6,986
Expected return on assets	(4,459)	(4,568)	(8,918)	(9,136)
Amortization of loss	2,604	3,264	5,208	6,528
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,703	4,146	5,406	8,292
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	8,073	11,326	16,146	22,652
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	14,083	17,984	28,166	35,968
Expected return on assets	(10,455)	(11,344)	(20,910)	(22,688)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(11,373)	(9,320)	(22,746)	(18,640)
Amortization of loss	4,554	7,893	9,108	15,786
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,882	16,539	9,764	33,078
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	978	1,739	1,956	3,478
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,324	3,130	4,648	6,260
Expected return on assets	(4,464)	(4,798)	(8,928)	(9,596)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1,368)	(610)	(2,736)	(1,220)
Amortization of loss	1,064	1,339	2,128	2,678
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(1,466)	800	(2,932)	1,600
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,869	2,474	3,738	4,948
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,260	4,078	6,520	8,156
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1,947)	(1,867)	(3,894)	(3,734)
Amortization of loss	732	1,780	1,464	3,560
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,914	6,465	7,828	12,930
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	386	507	772	1,014
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	709	859	1,418	1,718
Expected return on assets	(1,379)	(1,542)	(2,758)	(3,084)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(234)	(229)	(468)	(458)
Amortization of loss	223	215	446	430
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(295)	(190)	(590)	(380)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	156	205	312	410
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	448	652	896	1,304
Expected return on assets	(1,154)	(1,201)	(2,308)	(2,402)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(186)	(177)	(372)	(354)
Amortization of loss	37	118	74	236
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(699)	(403)	(1,398)	(806)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	398	500	796	1,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,039	1,342	2,078	2,684
Expected return on assets	(2,394)	(2,588)	(4,788)	(5,176)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(681)	(681)	(1,362)	(1,362)
Amortization of loss	537	685	1,074	1,370
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(1,101)	(742)	(2,202)	(1,484)
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	334	470	668	940
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	529	628	1,058	1,256
Expected return on assets	(814)	(911)	(1,628)	(1,822)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(393)	(366)	(786)	(732)
Amortization of loss	287	300	574	600
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(57)	121	(114)	242
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,300	4,500	8,500	8,900
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	106	113	212	226
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	59	68	118	136
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	59	59	118	118
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	16	16	32	32
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	$ 127	$ 149	$ 254	$ 298