Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit, Short-Term Borrowings, And Long-Term Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Feb. 28, 2019	Jan. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings	$ 1,942,322			$ 1,942,322	$ 1,942,339
Amount of Facility	3,500,000			3,500,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 320,000			$ 320,000
Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate	3.03%			3.03%
Commercial Paper program limit	$ 2,000,000			$ 2,000,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding	1,942,000			1,942,000
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	3,500,000			3,500,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist	20,000			$ 20,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage				0.225%
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				4.03%
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings	250,000			$ 250,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist	5,000			$ 5,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Four Point Two Percent Series Due April 2049 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt	$ 350,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.20%			4.20%
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings	$ 450,000			$ 450,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist	15,000			$ 15,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Mortgage Bonds, Four Point Two Zero Percent Series due April Twenty Fifty [Member] [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt	$ 525,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	4.20%			4.20%
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings	$ 175,000			$ 175,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	400			400	200
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings	200,000			200,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist	30,000			30,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	1,500			1,500	$ 4,100
Entergy Texas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Four Percent Due March 2029 [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt			$ 300,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			4.00%
Entergy Texas [Member] | Mortgage Bonds Four Point Five Percent Due March 2039 [Domain] [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt			$ 400,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage			4.50%
Entergy Texas [Member] | 7.125% Series First Mortgage Bonds Due February 2019 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument		$ 500,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage		7.125%
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings	200,000			$ 200,000
System Energy [Member] | Two Point Five Percent Series 2019 Revenue Refunding Bonds Due April 2022 [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issuance Of Debt	$ 134,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	2.50%			2.50%
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	$ 139,000			$ 139,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage				0.20%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	139,000		$ 139,000	$ 139,000
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				4.28%
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Authorized Short Term Borrowings	150,000			$ 150,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist	10,000			10,000
System Energy VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	94,100			$ 94,100
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				3.45%
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount				0.10%
System Energy VIE [Member] | Two Point Five Percent Series 2019 Revenue Refunding Bonds Due April 2022 [Domain]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption of debt instrument	$ 134,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	5.875%			5.875%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 42,600			$ 42,600
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				3.50%
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount				0.10%
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member] | Three Point Six Five Percent Series L Notes Due July Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	3.65%			3.65%
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 79,500			$ 79,500
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				3.48%
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount				0.10%
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member] | Three Point Nine Two Percent Series H Dues February Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage	3.92%			3.92%
Entergy Louisiana River Bend VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 95,400			$ 95,400
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				3.46%
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount				0.10%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage				0.225%
Consolidated debt ratio	0.65			0.65
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio	0.65			0.65
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization				70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio	0.65			0.65
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization				70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio	0.65			0.65
Maximum [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio	0.65			0.65
Maximum [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization				70.00%
Maximum [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio	0.65			0.65
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage				0.075%
Credit Facility Of Three Hundred Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	$ 350,000			$ 350,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	0			0
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0			$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				3.75%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	150,000			$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	0			0
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0			$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				3.75%
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of Facility	150,000			$ 150,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount	1,300			1,300
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	$ 0			$ 0
Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period				4.00%