Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016		Sep. 30, 2015		Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	$ 3,124,703,000	$ 3,371,406,000	$ 8,197,118,000		$ 9,004,728,000
Income taxes (benefits)	257,906,000	(367,665,000)	148,879,000		(117,412,000)
Consolidated net income (loss)	393,204,000	(718,233,000)	1,201,035,000	[1]	(261,583,000)	[1]
Assets	47,738,181,000		47,738,181,000				$ 44,647,681,000
Utility [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	2,649,392,000	2,849,681,000	6,855,664,000		7,401,136,000
Income taxes (benefits)	255,603,000	198,945,000	359,653,000		407,993,000
Consolidated net income (loss)	447,782,000	364,265,000	1,027,751,000		796,051,000
Assets	40,542,593,000		40,542,593,000				38,356,906,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	475,345,000	521,746,000	1,341,534,000		1,603,643,000
Income taxes (benefits)	6,115,000	(554,513,000)	(176,626,000)		(487,622,000)
Consolidated net income (loss)	8,221,000	(1,031,410,000)	338,651,000		(911,524,000)
Assets	9,100,779,000		9,100,779,000				8,210,183,000
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	0	0	0		0
Income taxes (benefits)	(3,812,000)	(12,097,000)	(34,148,000)		(37,783,000)
Consolidated net income (loss)	(30,901,000)	(19,190,000)	(69,672,000)		(50,415,000)
Assets	1,339,879,000		1,339,879,000				(461,505,000)
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	(34,000)	(21,000)	(80,000)		(51,000)
Income taxes (benefits)	0	0	0		0
Consolidated net income (loss)	(31,898,000)	$ (31,898,000)	(95,695,000)		$ (95,695,000)
Assets	$ (3,245,070,000)		$ (3,245,070,000)				$ (1,457,903,000)

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2016 and 2015 include $15.6 million and $9.6 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.