Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2020	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,903,568			$ 3,140,575			$ 7,743,534	$ 8,416,367
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	149,444			29,201			167,366	73,430
Consolidated net income	525,699	$ 365,113	$ 123,294	369,459	$ 240,533	$ 258,646	1,014,105	868,639
Assets	56,070,251						56,070,251		$ 51,723,912
Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,689,186			2,840,222			6,996,876	7,392,641
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	143,622			71,698			164,383	81,283
Consolidated net income	555,583			581,964			1,228,333	1,150,863
Assets	53,825,473						53,825,473		49,557,664
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	214,371			300,363			746,629	1,023,757
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	12,321			(30,855)			6,249	25,763
Consolidated net income	30,773			(140,501)			5,523	(68,804)
Assets	3,743,167						3,743,167		4,154,961
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	25			9			54	11
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(6,499)			(11,642)			(3,266)	(33,616)
Consolidated net income	(28,758)			(40,105)			(124,056)	(117,725)
Assets	519,264						519,264		514,020
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	(14)			(19)			(25)	(42)
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	0			0			0	0
Consolidated net income	(31,899)			$ (31,899)			(95,695)	$ (95,695)
Assets	$ (2,017,653)						$ (2,017,653)		$ (2,502,733)