Quarterly Financial Data (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges				$ 491,739	$ 357,251	$ 2,835,637
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%				35.00%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities				(803,323)	$ 2,915,795	158,031
Asset Impairment Charges				532,321	538,372	2,835,637
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities				(125,185)	605,453	62,351
Regulatory Liabilities		$ 18,800		18,800	32,400
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator			$ 45,000
Tax benefit resulting from settlement of IRS audit				52,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities				(341,682)	1,043,507	62,994
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities				(131,856)	405,395	(2,986)
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities				(28,459)	110,147	(3,997)
Gain on sale of asset						$ 38
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges				532,000	538,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax				421,000	350,000
Reduction to income resulting from re-measurement of deferred tax asset/liability					397,000
Reduction in income tax expense resulting from restructuring of investment holdings				107,000
Reduction in income tax expense resulting from state income tax audit				23,000
Reduction of income tax Expense, net of unrecognized tax benefits, resulting from change in tax classification					373,000
Utility [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reduction to income tax expense resulting from customer credits due to internal restructuring				170,000
Reduction to income resulting from re-measurement of deferred tax asset/liability					181,000
Net of tax reduction regulatory liabilities					34,000
Regulatory liability resulting from customer credits recognized as a result of internal restructuring		40,000		40,000
Regulatory liability resulting from customer credits recognized as a result of internal restructuring, net of tax		30,000		$ 30,000
Parent & Other [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase in income resulting from re-measurement of deferred tax asset/liability					$ 52,000
Vermont Yankee [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges		$ 173,000