Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)		1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Aug. 31, 2008	Jul. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2016
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Valuation allowance on the deferred tax assets related to state net operating loss carryovers					$ 179,000,000	$ 106,000,000
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					2,161,000,000	1,462,000,000	$ 1,240,000,000		$ 63,500,000
Remaining balances of unrecognized tax benefits, effective income tax rates					5,020,000,000	3,410,000,000	2,670,000,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					44,000,000	38,000,000	30,000,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					7,000,000	8,000,000	9,000,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					(256,848,000)	529,053,000	(836,257,000)
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance					243,726,000	137,283,000
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					1,620,254,000	$ 1,588,520,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%					35.00%
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					2,100,000,000
Increase (Reduction) in income tax resulting from Entergy Wholesale Commodities restructuring					0	$ 373,277,000	237,760,000
Valuation allowances on deferred tax assets related to state jurisdictions					64,000,000	31,000,000
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, Fitzpatrick Disposition, Amount					0	44,344,000	0
Utility Restructuring Nuclear Decommissioning Liability Effect					165,000,000
Utility Restructuring State Income Tax Effect					5,000,000
Annual Limit on Deduction for Compensation of Certain Covered Employees	$ 1,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					1,817,021,000	2,900,204,000
Limit on Annual Net Operating Loss as a Percent of Annual Taxable Income	80.00%
Net Decrease in Deferred Tax Assets Related to Excess ADIT					560,000,000
Utility Restructuring					169,918,000	0	0
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					85,400,000	2,600,000	3,600,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					1,700,000	1,600,000	1,400,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					200,000	200,000	0
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					129,524,000	67,711,000	201,219,000
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					402,668,000	363,591,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					605,000,000
Noncash Capital Contribution from Parent					94,335,000
Change in accounting method for tax purposes, effect of change on taxable income					2,200,000,000
Accrued deductible temporary difference related to election to mark-to-market certain power purchase and sales agreements					2,100,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					505,748,000	985,823,000
Protected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					521,000,000	554,000,000
Unprotected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					117,000,000	467,000,000
Income Tax Expense(Benefit) Related to Excess ADIT					3,000,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					594,000,000	575,800,000	473,300,000		61,600,000
Regulatory Liability Obligation To Pay To Customers Savings Related To Act 55 Financing					13,500,000
Regulatory Liability Obligation Net Of Tax To Pay To Customers Savings Related To Act 55 Financing					10,000,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					17,900,000	14,100,000	8,400,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					3,800,000	5,700,000	(900,000)
Regulatory Liabilities					18,800,000	32,400,000
Proceeds from LURC								$ 148,600,000
Proceed from loan by LCDA to corporation LURC								$ 148,600,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					174,063,000	575,804,000	178,549,000
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					748,784,000	761,059,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits Impacting Effective Tax Rate from Vidalia PPA									$ 74,500,000
Tax benefits related to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita contingent sharing obligation		$ 52,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					612,000,000
Change in accounting method for tax purposes, effect of change on taxable income							2,200,000,000
Deductible temporary difference related to election to mark-to-market certain power purchase and sales agreements						2,200,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					581,001,000	725,368,000
Protected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					812,000,000	782,000,000
Unprotected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					295,000,000	410,000,000
Income Tax Expense(Benefit) Related to Excess ADIT					(217,000,000)
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					1,500,000	0	0
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					1,200,000	1,000,000	800,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					200,000	200,000	400,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					56,502,000	84,816,000	60,986,000
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					33,622,000	869,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					246,000,000
Accrued deductible temporary difference related to election to mark-to-market certain power purchase and sales agreements					1,900,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					246,402,000	411,011,000
Protected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					271,000,000	274,000,000
Unprotected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					0	162,000,000
Income Tax Expense(Benefit) Related to Excess ADIT					(3,000,000)
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					246,200,000	31,700,000	33,600,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					2,700,000	2,100,000	1,500,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					600,000	600,000	(300,000)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					24,548,000	64,036,000	140,283,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					86,000,000
Deductible temporary difference related to election to mark-to-market certain power purchase and sales agreements					1,100,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					60,249,000	119,259,000
Protected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					59,000,000	71,000,000
Unprotected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					25,000,000	37,000,000
Income Tax Expense(Benefit) Related to Excess ADIT					(6,000,000)
Entergy Texas [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					5,100,000	4,400,000	7,000,000
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					900,000	400,000	1,200,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					500,000	(800,000)	700,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					(39,545,000)	42,119,000	20,794,000
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					47,884,000	6,850,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					352,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					264,623,000	412,620,000
Protected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					237,000,000	276,000,000
Unprotected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					171,000,000	198,000,000
Income Tax Expense(Benefit) Related to Excess ADIT					(3,000,000)
System Energy [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Unrecognized tax benefits if recognized, would lower the effective income tax rates					0	0	0
Accrued income tax interest and penalties					13,200,000	8,500,000	3,700,000
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Income Tax Penalties and Interest Expense					4,700,000	4,800,000	5,200,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits					24,040,000	7,827,000	99,531,000
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					381,887,000	455,991,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes - Current and Non Current					163,000,000
Change in accounting method for tax purposes, effect of change on taxable income							$ 1,200,000,000
Regulatory Liability For Income Taxes Net					158,998,000	246,122,000
Protected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					202,000,000	217,000,000
Unprotected Excess ADIT Under H.R. 1					4,000,000	76,000,000
Income Tax Expense(Benefit) Related to Excess ADIT					0
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Reduction of Income Tax Expense, Net of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Resulting From Tax Election					107,000,000
Tax Adjustments, Settlements, and Unusual Provisions					23,000,000
Hurricane Rita [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Proceeds from LURC			$ 274,700,000
Proceed from loan by LCDA to corporation LURC			$ 274,700,000
Hurricane Rita [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Proceeds from LURC				$ 679,000,000
Proceed from loan by LCDA to corporation LURC				$ 679,000,000
Internal Restructuring Guaranteed Credits to Customers [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					39,600,000	0
Regulatory Liability Net Of Tax					30,000,000
Internal Restructuring Guaranteed Credits to Customers [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Income Taxes [Line Items]
Regulatory Liability, Noncurrent					$ 39,600,000	$ 0