Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2016		Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	$ 2,618,550,000	$ 2,462,562,000	$ 5,207,008,000		$ 5,072,415,000
Income taxes (benefits)	(337,112,000)	(248,973,000)	(329,350,000)		(109,027,000)
Consolidated net income	413,368,000	572,590,000	499,420,000	[1]	807,832,000	[1]
Assets	46,007,037,000		46,007,037,000				$ 45,904,434,000
Utility [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	2,301,332,000	2,118,478,000	4,336,444,000		4,206,272,000
Income taxes (benefits)	130,851,000	(3,785,000)	229,343,000		104,051,000
Consolidated net income	246,382,000	380,317,000	414,005,000		579,968,000
Assets	42,263,832,000		42,263,832,000				41,098,751,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	317,255,000	344,110,000	870,622,000		866,189,000
Income taxes (benefits)	(454,944,000)	(235,055,000)	(533,281,000)		(182,741,000)
Consolidated net income	223,886,000	250,874,000	196,689,000		330,430,000
Assets	5,627,284,000		5,627,284,000				6,696,038,000
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	0	0	0		0
Income taxes (benefits)	(13,019,000)	(10,133,000)	(25,412,000)		(30,337,000)
Consolidated net income	(25,001,000)	(26,703,000)	(47,477,000)		(38,769,000)
Assets	1,165,157,000		1,165,157,000				1,283,816,000
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	(37,000)	(26,000)	(58,000)		(46,000)
Income taxes (benefits)	0	0	0		0
Consolidated net income	(31,899,000)	$ (31,898,000)	(63,797,000)		$ (63,797,000)
Assets	$ (3,049,236,000)		$ (3,049,236,000)				$ (3,174,171,000)

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2017 and 2016 include $6.9 million and $10.6 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.