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Long - Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2019	Jul. 31, 2015	May 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009	Apr. 30, 2007	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2011	Aug. 31, 2010	Nov. 30, 2009	Jun. 30, 2007
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year One							$ 650,000
Year Two							934,000
Year Three							1,340,792
Year Four							1,065,237
Year Five							1,715,523
Bonds issued to recover cost							$ 423,858	$ 544,921
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Minimum rate of equity capital							35.00%
Year One							$ 0
Year Two							0
Year Three							213,900
Year Four							134,000
Year Five							250,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Carrying costs on issuance of bonds to recover storm damage restoration costs				$ 11,500
Up Front Financing Costs On Issuance Of Bonds To Recover Storm Damage Restoration Costs				$ 4,600
Year One							0
Year Two							0
Year Three							566,292
Year Four							0
Year Five							290,000
Bonds issued to recover cost							20,898	34,662
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year One							0
Year Two							320,000
Year Three							360,600
Year Four							200,000
Year Five							401,910
Bonds issued to recover cost							55,682	77,736
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Up Front Financing Costs On Issuance Of Bonds To Recover Storm Damage Restoration Costs			$ 3,000
Year One							0
Year Two							25,000
Year Three							0
Year Four							0
Year Five							100,000
Cost recovered through issuance of securitization bonds			98,700
Bonds issued to recover cost							63,620	74,419
Amount of Hurricane Issac storm cost to be recovered through securitization			31,800
Replenishment amount for storm reserve spending			$ 63,900
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year One							500,000
Year Two							0
Year Three							200,000
Year Four							81,237
Year Five							203,613
Bonds issued to recover cost							283,659	$ 358,104
Hurricane Rita [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year Two							30,900
Year Three							32,800
Year Four							17,500
Cost recovered through issuance of securitization bonds						$ 353,000
Amount of storm cost recovery bonds for transaction costs						6,000
Deferred income tax benefits						$ 32,000
Bonds issued to recover cost							329,500					$ 329,500
Hurricane Ike And Hurricane Gustav [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year Two							47,600
Year Three							49,800
Year Four							52,000
Year Five							54,300
Cost recovered through issuance of securitization bonds					$ 566,400
Bonds issued to recover cost							545,900				$ 545,900
Tranche A-3 (5.93%) Due June 2022 [Member] \| Hurricane Rita [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bonds issued to recover cost							114,400
Tranche A-1 (5.51%) Due October 2013 [Member] \| Hurricane Rita [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bonds issued to recover cost							93,500
Tranche A-1 (2.12%) Due February 2016 [Member] \| Hurricane Ike And Hurricane Gustav [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bonds issued to recover cost							182,500
Tranche A-2 (5.79%) Due October 2018 [Member] \| Hurricane Rita [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bonds issued to recover cost							121,600
Tranche A-2 (3.65%) Due August 2019 [Member] \| Hurricane Ike And Hurricane Gustav [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bonds issued to recover cost							144,800
Tranche A-3 (4.38%) Due November 2023 [Member] \| Hurricane Ike And Hurricane Gustav [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Bonds issued to recover cost							218,600
Tranche A One Two Point Six Seven Percent Due June Two Thousand Twenty Seven [Member] \| Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Year One							11,200
Year Two							11,600
Year Three							11,900
Year Four							12,200
Year Five							$ 12,500
Securitization Bonds, 2.04% Series Senior Secured, Due September 2023 [Member] \| Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage							2.04%	2.04%	2.04%
Value of non interest bearing first mortgage bonds									$ 207,200
Year One							$ 22,700
Year Two							23,200
Year Three							$ 11,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage							2.04%	2.04%	2.04%
Securitization Bonds, 2.30% Series Senior Secured, Due August 2021 [Member] \| Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage							2.30%	2.30%		2.30%
Value of non interest bearing first mortgage bonds										$ 124,100
Year One							$ 14,400
Year Two							$ 7,300
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage							2.30%	2.30%		2.30%
Tranche A One Two Point Six Seven Percent Due June Two Thousand Twenty Seven [Member] \| Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		2.67%
Issuance Of Debt		$ 98,700
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		2.67%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| 4.0% Series First Mortgage Bonds Due March 2029 [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt	$ 300,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.00%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| 4.50% Series First Mortgage Bonds Due March 2039 [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt	$ 400,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.50%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.50%
Subsequent Event [Member] \| 7.125% Series First Mortgage Bonds Due February 2019 [Member] \| Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 500,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	7.125%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	7.125%