Risk Management and Fair Values (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019 TWh	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) GWh MMBTU counterparty	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) counterparty	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Included in earnings		$ (3,500)	$ 900	$ 0
Cash flow hedges relating to power sales as part of net unrealized gains		(28,000)
Reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (OCI) to operating revenues		(17,000)
Maturity of cash flow hedges, Tax		(14,000)	38,000	103,000
Change in cash flow hedges due to ineffectiveness		$ (5,900)	$ (3,000)	$ (356)
Power Contracts [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Number of Derivative Contract Counterparties in a Liability Position | counterparty		6	8
Hedging Liabilities, Noncurrent		$ 34,000	$ 65,000
Cash collateral posted		$ 19,000	1,000
Derivative, Collateral, Obligation to Return Cash			4,000
Letters of Credit Held			34,000
Maximum Length of Time Hedged in Cash Flow Hedge		2 years 3 months
Gas Hedge Contracts [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU		45,276,000
Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		$ 4,000
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh		47,313
Subsequent Event [Member] | Power Contracts [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Planned generation sold forward from non utility nuclear power plants	98.00%
Planned Generation Sold Forward under financial derivatives	73.00%
Total planned generation for remainder of the period | TWh	25.6
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount			200
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh		10,511
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Gas Hedge Contracts [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU		36,540,000
Maximum Length of Time Hedged in Cash Flow Hedge		5 years
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh		20,452
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Gas Hedge Contracts [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU		8,160,000
Maximum Length of Time Hedged in Cash Flow Hedge		10 months
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		$ 200	100
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh		6,222
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Gas Hedge Contracts [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu) | MMBTU		576,000
Maximum Length of Time Hedged in Cash Flow Hedge		10 months
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh		2,330
Entergy Texas [Member] | Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		$ 4,100	$ 50
Total volume of FTRs outstanding (MWh) | GWh		7,600