Retirement, Other Postretirement Benefits, And Defined Contribution Plans (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) plan	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Concentration Risk	10.00%
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	$ 2,616,085	$ 2,910,654
Current pension liability	61,240	71,612
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	131,900	144,700
Net periodic benefit costs	24,400	37,600	$ 24,900
Settlement charges related to the payment of lump sum benefits out of the plan	7,700	20,300	8,100
Projected benefit obligation	147,000	162,300
Defined Benefit Plan Benefit Obligation, Current	17,000	26,400
Defined Benefit Plan Benefit Obligation, Non-Current	130,000	136,000
Amortization of prior service credit	51,900	55,200
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	19,200	35,900
Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	5,497,415	6,071,316	5,171,202
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	7,404,917	7,987,087	7,142,567
non-current pension liability	1,907,502	1,915,771
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	737,004	668,164
Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	$ 5,497,415	6,071,316
Change in Plan Assets
Number of qualified pension plans | plan	8
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	$ 6,900,000	7,400,000
Net periodic benefit costs	255,613	214,221	214,853
Amortization of prior service credit	$ 398	261	1,079
Number of Qualified Pension Plans in which Registrant Subsidiaries Participate	4
Number of final average pay pension plans	6
Number of Cash Balance Pension Plans in which Asset Held in Second Master Trust	2
Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Expected Employer Contributions				$ 176,900
Defined Contribution Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Subsidiaries' contribution to defined contribution plan	$ 54,300	49,100	47,000
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Employees' Gross Pay	6.00%
Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	$ 609,782	659,327	596,660
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	13,088	25,603	19,526
Projected benefit obligation	1,232,619	1,563,487	1,568,963
non-current pension liability	578,561	858,923
Current pension liability	44,276	45,237
Amortization of prior service credit	(37,002)	(41,425)	(45,490)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	(76,299)	96,275
Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Expected Employer Contributions				$ 47,600
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	313,295	353,274
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	2,519	3,825
Net periodic benefit costs	474	679	1,819
Projected benefit obligation	2,752	4,221
non-current pension liability	2,554	3,845
Current pension liability	198	376
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Settlement charges	30	269	1,400
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	1,068,842	1,205,668	1,041,592
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	1,443,808	1,580,756	1,454,310
non-current pension liability	374,966	375,088
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,362,425	1,492,876
Net periodic benefit costs	43,020	36,987	37,601
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	252,055	274,678	250,926
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	(10,168)	(4,015)	(5,861)
Projected benefit obligation	187,830	249,019	258,787
Current pension liability	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(5,110)	(5,110)	(5,472)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Expected Employer Contributions	501
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	643,171	748,384
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,881	2,061
Net periodic benefit costs	180	185	231
Projected benefit obligation	1,881	2,061
non-current pension liability	1,652	1,830
Current pension liability	229	231
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	5	11
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	1,215,926	1,365,741	1,169,147
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	1,599,916	1,785,700	1,624,233
non-current pension liability	383,990	419,959
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,481,158	1,652,939
Net periodic benefit costs	52,108	44,283	47,072
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	0	0	0
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	11,194	12,598	15,656
Projected benefit obligation	275,269	345,389	342,500
non-current pension liability	257,529	326,595
Current pension liability	17,740	18,794
Amortization of prior service credit	(7,735)	(7,735)	(7,787)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	(35,478)	31,586
Expected Employer Contributions	17,933
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	93,100	101,498
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	2,427	2,250
Net periodic benefit costs	300	251	236
Projected benefit obligation	2,732	2,737
non-current pension liability	2,604	2,603
Current pension liability	128	135
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Settlement charges			1
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	316,716	360,842	314,349
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	414,089	457,549	419,201
non-current pension liability	97,373	96,707
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	387,635	430,268
Net periodic benefit costs	10,792	8,504	9,510
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	75,853	82,433	75,945
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	(1,513)	(1,030)	(1,180)
Projected benefit obligation	68,976	84,621	78,485
non-current pension liability		2,188
Current pension liability	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,823)	(1,823)	(934)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Expected Employer Contributions	123
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	5,626	20,755
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	206	519
Net periodic benefit costs	81	73	65
Projected benefit obligation	206	583
non-current pension liability	191	562
Current pension liability	16	21
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	145,968	165,747	142,488
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	191,190	217,896	197,464
non-current pension liability	45,222	52,149
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	179,907	205,316
Net periodic benefit costs	5,789	5,096	5,593
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	81,774	85,504	74,236
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	(3,673)	(2,521)	(2,803)
Projected benefit obligation	41,987	53,548	55,515
Current pension liability	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(745)	(745)	(745)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Expected Employer Contributions	2,140
Entergy Texas [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	4,834	17,853
Entergy Texas [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	7,724	8,602
Net periodic benefit costs	650	499	504
Projected benefit obligation	7,952	8,913
non-current pension liability	7,280	8,125
Current pension liability	672	788
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Settlement charges	139
Entergy Texas [Member] | Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	315,514	363,523	317,576
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	369,604	410,720	386,366
non-current pension liability	54,090	47,197
Entergy Texas [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	347,852	387,083
Net periodic benefit costs	4,158	3,543	5,002
Entergy Texas [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	144,846	154,171	137,069
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	(6,204)	(1,751)	(4,405)
Projected benefit obligation	88,310	116,702	127,700
Current pension liability	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(2,316)	(2,316)	(2,722)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	0
Expected Employer Contributions	56
System Energy [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
non-current pension liability	98,639	121,874
System Energy [Member] | Qualified Pension Obligations [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	245,516	274,432	235,144
Change in Plan Assets
Projected benefit obligation	339,034	384,049	335,381
non-current pension liability	93,518	109,617
System Energy [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	317,848	359,258
Net periodic benefit costs	14,905	11,716	10,808
System Energy [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Plan Assets, Amount	43,670	49,124	44,885
Change in Plan Assets
Net periodic benefit costs	(490)	692	(224)
Projected benefit obligation	48,791	61,381	62,498
non-current pension liability	5,121	12,257
Current pension liability	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,513)	(1,513)	$ (1,570)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (before taxes)	0	$ 0
Expected Employer Contributions	$ 20
Minimum [Member] | Defined Contribution Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Match	70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Defined Contribution Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Defined Contribution Plan, Employer Matching Contribution, Percent of Match	100.00%
Domestic Equity Securities [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	39.00%
Domestic Equity Securities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	32.00%
Domestic Equity Securities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	46.00%
International Equity Securities [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	19.00%
International Equity Securities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	15.00%
International Equity Securities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	23.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	42.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	39.00%
Fixed Income Securities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Change in Plan Assets
Target asset allocation	45.00%