Quarterly Financial Data (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Operating income (loss)	$ (228,931)	$ 271,035	$ 91,597	$ 335,664	$ 237,072	$ 759,003	$ 168,839	$ 195,493	$ 469,365	$ 1,360,407	$ (815,231)
Consolidated net income (loss)	(62,323)	539,818	248,860	136,200	(475,710)	401,644	413,368	86,051	862,555	425,353	(564,503)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	(65,900)	536,379	245,421	132,761	(479,113)	398,198	409,922	82,605	848,661	411,612	(583,618)
Net income (loss) attributable to Entergy Corporation									848,661	411,612	(583,618)
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,512,482	$ 3,104,319	$ 2,668,770	$ 2,723,881	$ 2,623,845	$ 3,243,628	$ 2,618,550	$ 2,588,458	$ 11,009,452	$ 11,074,481	$ 10,845,645
Basic earnings per share (in usd per share)	$ (0.37)	$ 2.96	$ 1.36	$ 0.73	$ (2.67)	$ 2.22	$ 2.28	$ 0.46	$ 4.68	$ 2.29	$ (3.26)
Diluted earnings per share (in usd per share)	$ (0.36)	$ 2.92	$ 1.34	$ 0.73	$ (2.66)	$ 2.21	$ 2.27	$ 0.46	$ 4.63	$ 2.28	$ (3.26)
Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax									$ 9,384,111	$ 9,278,895	$ 8,866,659
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Operating income (loss)	$ (82,704)	$ 34,785	$ 26,501	$ 66,647	$ 18,180	$ 173,270	$ 72,625	$ 42,696	45,229	306,771	359,720
Consolidated net income (loss)	5,006	128,890	82,556	36,255	(5,648)	92,638	38,550	14,304	252,707	139,844	167,212
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	4,828	128,533	82,199	35,898	(6,005)	92,281	38,193	13,947	251,458	138,416	161,942
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	446,615	568,399	494,605	551,024	495,680	673,226	496,662	474,351	2,060,643	2,139,919	2,086,608
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Operating income (loss)	147,774	236,518	150,160	141,319	217,179	298,674	200,018	158,766	675,771	874,637	825,505
Consolidated net income (loss)	161,355	218,308	184,358	111,593	(88,794)	186,284	124,479	94,378	675,614	316,347	622,047
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									675,614	316,347	622,047
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	987,576	1,206,612	1,072,788	1,029,344	1,045,839	1,290,494	1,083,434	880,783	4,296,320	4,300,550	4,177,048
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax									4,232,541	4,246,020	4,126,343
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Operating income (loss)	23,600	45,215	(63,801)	41,432	43,049	84,813	55,795	40,159	46,446	223,816	226,663
Consolidated net income (loss)	14,260	50,733	38,242	22,843	18,026	46,545	28,303	17,158	126,078	110,032	109,184
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	14,141	50,495	38,003	22,605	17,788	46,307	28,064	16,920	125,244	109,079	106,741
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	297,946	367,734	353,689	315,743	299,377	349,197	291,212	258,443	1,335,112	1,198,229	1,094,649
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Operating income (loss)	6,836	21,544	27,943	17,869	12,832	33,771	27,823	21,983	74,192	96,409	100,893
Consolidated net income (loss)	2,594	21,407	18,269	10,882	164	18,529	14,882	10,978	53,152	44,553	48,849
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic	2,594	21,407	18,269	10,882	46	18,288	14,641	10,737	53,152	43,712	47,884
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	150,487	200,182	178,446	188,275	171,842	199,017	176,222	168,989	717,390	716,070	665,463
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax									624,733	631,744	586,820
Entergy Texas [Member]
Operating income (loss)	6,741	99,966	58,637	41,082	34,143	78,993	47,802	38,620	206,426	199,558	244,556
Consolidated net income (loss)	48,250	65,846	30,789	17,350	4,630	39,588	21,101	10,854	162,235	76,173	107,538
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									162,235	76,173	107,538
Entergy Texas [Member] | Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	376,245	477,231	403,486	348,940	369,569	432,909	378,488	363,927	1,605,902	1,544,893	1,615,619
System Energy [Member]
Operating income (loss)	7,212	(17,879)	23,406	30,941	42,486	38,980	43,035	42,482	43,680	166,983	186,241
Consolidated net income (loss)	25,442	22,972	23,387	22,308	18,316	20,583	19,350	20,347	94,109	78,596	96,744
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic									94,109	78,596	96,744
System Energy [Member] | Electricity [Member]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 116,843	$ 78,965	$ 112,456	$ 148,443	$ 157,609	$ 156,106	$ 164,956	$ 154,787	$ 456,707	$ 633,458	$ 548,291