Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 7,992,515	$ 0	$ 5,433,433	$ 7,977,702	$ (23,531)	$ 2,548	$ (5,397,637)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								$ 2,376,754	$ 5,308,804	$ 5,355,204	$ (46,400)	$ 1,177,870	$ 415,548	$ 1,260,167	$ 596,994	$ 613,721	$ 49,452	$ 710,809	$ 52,459	$ 658,350
Consolidated net income	136,200	3,439	0	132,761	0	0	0	36,255	111,593	111,593	0	22,843	10,882	17,350	0	17,350	0	22,308	22,308	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash								357				238
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	160,887	0	0	160,887	0	0	0						6,250					63,240	6,740	56,500
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	3,439	3,439	0	0	0	0	0	357				238
Other comprehensive income (loss)	79,145	0	0	0	79,145	0	0		(501)	0	(501)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	4,307	0	(16,170)	0	0	0	20,477
Other									24	24	0
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings, Tax Effect	(16,538)	0	0	(32,043)	15,505	0	0		(3,787)	6,262	(10,049)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	7,974,943	0	5,417,263	8,493,790	(561,498)	2,548	(5,377,160)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								2,412,652	5,416,133	5,473,083	(56,950)	1,200,475	420,180	1,277,517	596,994	631,071	49,452	669,877	68,027	601,850
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	8,844,305	0	5,951,431	8,721,150	(557,173)	2,616	(5,273,719)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								2,983,103	5,902,918	5,909,071	(6,153)	1,292,226	444,950	1,422,402	596,994	775,956	49,452	737,198	135,348	601,850
Consolidated net income	258,646	4,109	0	254,537	0	0	0	39,121	127,633	127,633	0	15,398	9,023	21,342	0	21,342	0	23,578	23,578	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	172,591	0	0	172,591	0	0	0		49,000	49,000	0							45,500	45,500	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	4,109	4,109	0	0	0	0	0	0				0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	12,827	0	0	0	12,827	0	0		(969)	0	(969)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	31,289	0	(31,248)	0	0	0	62,537
Other									(11)	(11)	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 8,970,367	$ 0	$ 5,920,183	$ 8,809,902	$ (551,152)	$ 2,616	$ (5,211,182)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								$ 3,022,224	$ 5,980,571	$ 5,987,693	$ (7,122)	$ 1,307,624	$ 453,973	$ 1,443,744	$ 596,994	$ 797,298	$ 49,452	$ 715,276	$ 113,426	$ 601,850