Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit, Short-Term Borrowings, And Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	May 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility		$ 3,500,000	$ 3,500,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		20,000	20,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		69,000	$ 69,000	$ 34,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.225%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		1,125,000	$ 1,125,000
Commercial Paper program limit		2,000,000	2,000,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding		$ 655,000	$ 655,000
Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate		1.88%	1.88%
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate		3.31%	3.31%
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		$ 43,887	$ 43,887	49,974
Authorized Short Term Borrowings		250,000	250,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		5,000	5,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		200	200	200
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		62,922	62,922	43,540
Authorized Short Term Borrowings		450,000	450,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		15,000	$ 15,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Four Point Zero Zero Percent due March Twenty Thirty Three [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt		$ 750,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		4.00%	4.00%
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings		$ 175,000	$ 175,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		100	100	100
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings		200,000	200,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		30,000	30,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		200	200	50
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		43,170	43,170	$ 17,830
Authorized Short Term Borrowings		200,000	200,000
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility		145,000	$ 145,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.20%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		118,000	$ 118,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.10%
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings		150,000	$ 150,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		10,000	10,000
System Energy VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 43,200	$ 43,200
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
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%
System Energy VIE [Member] | Three Point Four Two Percent Series J Notes Due April Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt		$ 100,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		3.42%	3.42%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 43,900	$ 43,900
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
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 Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 62,900	$ 62,900
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
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		$ 52,300	$ 52,300
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount			0.10%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.275%
Consolidated debt ratio		0.65	0.65
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio		0.65	0.65
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization			70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio		0.65	0.65
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization			70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio		0.65	0.65
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio		0.65	0.65
Maximum [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization			70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio		0.65	0.65
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage			0.075%
Credit Facility Of Three Hundred Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility		$ 350,000	$ 350,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		9,100	9,100
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		100,000	$ 100,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			2.94%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility		150,000	$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		0	0
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		50,000	$ 50,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.12%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility		150,000	$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		24,400	24,400
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 0	$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period			3.39%
Subsequent Event [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Six Point Zero Percent Series Due May Twenty Eighteen [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 375,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	6.00%