Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018		Sep. 30, 2017		Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 3,104,319	$ 3,243,628	$ 8,496,970		$ 8,450,636
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(283,006)	241,795	(519,937)		(87,555)
Consolidated net income	539,818	401,644	924,877	[1]	901,064	[1]
Assets	48,471,172		48,471,172				$ 46,707,149
Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,724,279	2,820,421	7,389,477		7,156,865
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(137,035)	230,647	(325,134)		459,990
Consolidated net income	507,745	403,733	1,104,078		817,738
Assets	44,889,498		44,889,498				42,978,669
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	380,080	423,245	1,107,606		1,293,867
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(135,659)	25,563	(166,882)		(507,719)
Consolidated net income	105,571	55,765	31,456		252,455
Assets	5,507,013		5,507,013				5,638,009
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	0	0	0		0
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(10,312)	(14,415)	(27,921)		(39,826)
Consolidated net income	(41,601)	(25,956)	(114,962)		(73,434)
Assets	1,274,909		1,274,909				1,011,612
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	(40)	(38)	(113)		(96)
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	0	0	0		0
Consolidated net income	(31,897)	$ (31,898)	(95,695)		$ (95,695)
Assets	$ (3,200,248)		$ (3,200,248)				$ (2,921,141)

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2018 and 2017 include $10.3 million and $10.3 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.