Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details)			1 Months Ended																	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2018	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2018 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	May 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 28, 2014 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) program claim plaintiff reactor MW	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Apr. 15, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 14, 2016 USD ($)
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Accidental Outage Coverage Weekly Indemnity Payment Period																					364 days
Accidental Outage Coverage Weekly Indemnity Final Payment Period																					406 days
Proceeds from insurance																					$ 18,270,000	$ 26,157,000	$ 20,968,000
Number of financial protection programs | program																					2
Insurance coverage for public liability by American Nuclear Insurers																					$ 450,000,000		375,000,000
Maximum retrospective insurance premium obligation per reactor per incident																					137,600,000
Maximum retrospective insurance premium obligation per incident																					1,238,000,000
Rate of maximum retrospective premium per year per nuclear power reactor																					21,000,000
ANI combined with Secondary Financial Protection Coverage																					14,000,000,000
Additional damage coverage for a terrorist event																					$ 100,000,000,000
Number of nuclear reactor included in the Secondary Financial Protection program | reactor																					99
Total premium for reactor under secondary financial protection program																					$ 14,000,000,000
Maximum recovery nuclear insurance policies for property damage caused by Terrorist Act																					3,240,000,000
Maximum conventional property insurance coverage on an each and every loss basis																					400,000,000
Minimum value of power plants, substations to be covered under conventional property insurance																					5,000,000
Purchase of terrorism insurance coverage																					$ 300,000,000
Number of claimants in asbestos lawsuits | plaintiff																					400
Reduction in fee Entergy’s nuclear owner/licensee subsidiaries have been charged related to spent nuclear fuel storage																			$ 0
Percentage of Weekly Indemnity Paid After Deductible Period has Passed																					100.00%
Percentage of Weekly Indemnity Paid After Deductible Second Period has Passed																					80.00%
Accidental Outage Coverage Weekly Indemnity Second Payment Period																					364 days
Percentage of Weekly Indemnity Paid After Deductible Final Period has Passed																					80.00%
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%																					35.00%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					$ (803,323,000)	$ 2,915,795,000	158,031,000
Pilgrim [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Capacity Supply Obligations in ISO New England | MW																					677
Grand Gulf [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Ownership percentage by a non-affiliated company																					10.00%
Indian Point [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Primary Insurance Layer Conditions Of Coverage																					$ 500,000,000
Vermont Yankee [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Insurance coverage for public liability by American Nuclear Insurers																										$ 100,000,000	$ 375,000,000
Operational Perils [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Self-insured retention per occurrence																					20,000,000
Earthquake and Flood [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Maximum conventional property insurance coverage on an each and every loss basis																					400,000,000
Self-insured retention per occurrence																					40,000,000
Named Windstorm and Associated Storm Surge [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Maximum conventional property insurance coverage on an each and every loss basis																					125,000,000
Self-insured retention per occurrence																					40,000,000
Non-Nuclear and Non-Radioactive Damage [Member] | Vermont Yankee [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Primary Insurance Layer Conditions Of Coverage																					50,000,000
Non-Nuclear and Non-Radioactive Damage [Member] | Pilgrim, Palisades, and Indian Point [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Primary Insurance Layer Conditions Of Coverage																					500,000,000
Wind and Flood [Member] | Indian Point [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 10,000,000
Percentage of Additional Property Insurance Deductible for Loss in Excess of Deductible																					10.00%
Maximum Additional Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 50,000,000
Accidental Outage Coverage Program [Member] | Waterford 3 and Grand Gulf [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					327,600,000
Flood, Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Primary Insurance Layer Conditions Of Coverage																					500,000,000
Wind, Flood, Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption [Member] | Vermont Yankee [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 10,000,000
Percentage of Additional Property Insurance Deductible for Loss in Excess of Deductible																					10.00%
Maximum Additional Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 50,000,000
Wind [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 10,000,000
Percentage of Additional Property Insurance Deductible for Loss in Excess of Deductible																					10.00%
Maximum Additional Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 50,000,000
Flood event [Member] | ANO and Grand Gulf [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Primary Insurance Layer Conditions Of Coverage																					$ 500,000,000
Utility [Member] | Asbestos Issue [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of asbestos lawsuits | claim																					200
Utility [Member] | Primary Layer [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					$ 1,500,000,000
Utility [Member] | Blanket Layer [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					100,000,000
Utility [Member] | Earthquake and Volcanic Eruption [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Primary Insurance Layer Conditions Of Coverage																					500,000,000
Utility [Member] | Flood event [Member] | River Bend and Waterford 3 [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 10,000,000
Percentage of Additional Property Insurance Deductible for Loss in Excess of Deductible																					10.00%
Maximum Additional Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 50,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Palisades [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Carrying Value of Nuclear Plant																							558,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Indian Point [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Carrying Value of Nuclear Plant																							2,619,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Primary Layer [Member] | Big Rock Point [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					500,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Primary Layer [Member] | Indian Point [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					1,600,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Primary Layer [Member] | Vermont Yankee [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					50,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Primary Layer [Member] | Pilgrim and Palisades [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance insured amount per occurrence																					1,115,000,000
Nuclear [Member] | Wind [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 10,000,000
Percentage of Additional Property Insurance Deductible for Loss in Excess of Deductible																					10.00%
Maximum Additional Property Insurance Deductible																					$ 50,000,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Percentage of capacity and energy agreed to sell by system energy from grand gulf																					33.00%
Average monthly payments under unit power sales agreement																					$ 12,200,000
Purchased Percentage Of Capacity And Energy Based On Agreement																					31.30%
Amortization period of cost																					27 years
Allocated amortization cost in percentage																					43.97%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					$ (131,856,000)	405,395,000	(2,986,000)
Entergy Texas [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Proceeds from insurance																					0	2,431,000	0
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					$ (19,336,000)	410,968,000	2,106,000
System Energy [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of nuclear power reactors | reactor																					1
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense																				$ 26,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					$ (156,802,000)	331,251,000	33,438,000
System Energy [Member] | Grand Gulf [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
System Energy ownership in nuclear unit											90.00%
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs											$ 16,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance											9,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded nuclear fuel expense											19,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense											5,000,000
Plant balance reduction											11,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party													$ 49,000,000
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Percentage of capacity and energy agreed to sell by system energy from grand gulf																					17.00%
Average monthly payments under unit power sales agreement																					$ 6,900,000
Purchased Percentage Of Capacity And Energy Based On Agreement																					24.70%
Amortization period of cost																					27 years
Allocated amortization cost in percentage																					29.80%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					$ (28,459,000)	110,147,000	(3,997,000)
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Flood, Earthquake and Named Windstorm [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Maximum conventional property insurance coverage on an each and every loss basis																					50,000,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Payments made under purchased power agreement																					$ 137,600,000	122,900,000	158,700,000
Required energy for the production of Vidalia project in percentage																					94.00%
Estimated Payments Under Purchased Power Agreement in Next Twelve Months																					$ 130,000,000
Estimated Payments Under Purchased Power Agreement in Year Two and Thereafter																					1,570,000,000
Credit rates agreed by subsidiary for each year under settlement related to tax benefits from tax treatment of purchased power agreement																					$ 11,000,000
Number of years for which credit rates agreed by subsidiary under settlement related to tax benefits from the tax treatment of purchased power agreement																					10 years
Amount of remaining benefits of tax credit by crediting rate payers																					$ 20,235,000
Maximum period up to which remaining benefit of tax accounting election shared																					15 years
Proceeds from insurance																					$ 3,480,000	5,305,000	10,564,000
Number of nuclear power reactors | reactor																					2
Percentage of capacity and energy agreed to sell by system energy from grand gulf																					14.00%
Average monthly payments under unit power sales agreement																					$ 5,600,000
Purchased Percentage Of Capacity And Energy Based On Agreement																					26.90%
Amortization period of cost																					27 years
Allocated amortization cost in percentage																					26.23%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					$ (125,185,000)	605,453,000	62,351,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Waterford 3 [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs								$ 41,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance								2,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded nuclear fuel expense								10,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense								$ 3,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party											53,000,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | River Bend [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs											17,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance							$ 3,000,000				2,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded nuclear fuel expense							2,000,000				23,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense											3,000,000
Plant balance reduction											$ 14,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party						$ 600,000				$ 5,000,000					$ 42,000,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Estimated cost to restore ANO to service																					95,000,000
Proceeds From Insurance Settlement, Operating and Investing Activities																									$ 50,000,000
Proceeds from insurance																					$ 14,790,000	0	10,404,000
Number of nuclear power reactors | reactor																					2
Percentage of capacity and energy agreed to sell by system energy from grand gulf																					36.00%
Average monthly payments under unit power sales agreement																					$ 14,100,000
Purchased Percentage Of Capacity And Energy Based On Agreement																					17.10%
Amortization period of cost																					27 years
Incremental NRC Inspection Costs																								$ 53,000,000
NRC inspection and performance improvement costs																						7,000,000	44,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party																					$ 21,000,000
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities																					(341,682,000)	$ 1,043,507,000	$ 62,994,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | ANO [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Deferred Fuel and Purchased Energy Costs Excluded From Revised Energy Cost Rate																		$ 65,900,000
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs									$ 6,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance									5,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded nuclear fuel expense									19,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded taxes other than income taxes									1,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party												$ 31,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
NRC inspection costs																					$ 59,000,000
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs			$ 60,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance			2,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense			4,000,000
Reduction to operation and maintenance expense			46,000,000
Plant balance reduction			10,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party				$ 62,000,000
Carrying Value of Nuclear Plant			$ 0
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Indian Point and Fitzpatrick [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party																$ 81,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Indian Point 3 [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs		$ 45,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance		2,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense		8,000,000
Plant balance reduction		37,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | FitzPatrick [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs		32,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance		2,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense		1,000,000
Plant balance reduction		10,000,000
Carrying Value of Nuclear Plant		$ 0											0
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Palisades [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs							11,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance							3,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense							1,000,000
Plant balance reduction							10,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party										$ 14,000,000							$ 21,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Indian Point 2 [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs							14,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance							15,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded decommissioning expense							3,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded taxes other than income taxes							2,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense							3,000,000
Plant balance reduction							$ 11,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party									$ 34,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Vermont Yankee [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs													15,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance													4,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense													2,000,000
Reduction to operation and maintenance expense													$ 13,000,000
Litigation Settlement, Amount Awarded from Other Party														$ 19,000,000
Vidalia Purchased Power Agreement [Member]
Commitments And Contingencies [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities					$ (30,500,000)