Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,609,584	$ 2,723,881
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	42,771	43,663
Consolidated net income	258,646	136,200
Assets	49,605,381		$ 48,275,066
Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,175,982	2,304,990
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(11,564)	52,224
Consolidated net income	234,147	217,940
Assets	46,502,826		44,777,167
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	433,612	418,924
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	65,908	(1,078)
Consolidated net income	97,079	(17,779)
Assets	5,065,643		5,459,275
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	0	0
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(11,573)	(7,483)
Consolidated net income	(40,682)	(32,063)
Assets	719,602		733,366
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	(10)	(33)
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	0	0
Consolidated net income	(31,898)	$ (31,898)
Assets	$ (2,682,690)		$ (2,694,742)