Retirement, Other Postretirement Benefits, And Defined Contribution Plans Schedule Of Net Periodic Pension Cost (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 24,500	$ 18,699	$ 27,129
Interest cost	28,597	47,901	50,725
Expected return on assets	(40,880)	(38,246)	(41,493)
Amortization of prior service credit	(32,882)	(35,377)	(37,002)
Recognized net loss	3,481	1,430	13,729
Net periodic pension costs	(17,184)	(5,593)	13,088
Prior service credit for period	(128,837)	0	0
Net loss	41,031	(38,526)	(274,354)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	32,882	35,377	37,002
Amortization of net loss	(3,481)	(1,430)	(13,729)
Total	(58,405)	(4,579)	(251,081)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(75,589)	(10,172)	(237,993)
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	161,300	143,400
Amortization of prior service credit	77,300	58,800
Net periodic pension costs	18,100	22,600	24,400
Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	8,400,000	7,800,000
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	161,487	134,193	155,010
Interest cost	239,614	293,114	267,415
Expected return on assets	(414,273)	(414,947)	(442,142)
Amortization of prior service credit	0	0	398
Recognized net loss	350,010	241,117	274,104
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(36,946)	(23,492)	(828)
Net periodic pension costs	373,784	276,969	255,613
Net loss	483,653	614,600	394,951
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	0	0	(398)
Amortization of net loss	(358,473)	(241,117)	(274,104)
Total	88,234	349,991	119,621
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	462,018	626,960	375,234
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,626	2,363	3,170
Interest cost	4,712	7,226	7,986
Expected return on assets	(17,104)	(15,962)	(17,368)
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,849)	(4,950)	(5,110)
Recognized net loss	540	576	1,154
Net periodic pension costs	(10,075)	(10,747)	(10,168)
Prior service credit for period	(12,320)
Net loss	2,245	(26,707)	(32,219)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	1,849	4,950	5,110
Amortization of net loss	(540)	(576)	(1,154)
Total	15,874	(22,333)	(28,263)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	5,799	(33,080)	(38,431)
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	2,626	2,248
Net periodic pension costs	333	275	474
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,617,858	1,519,998
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	26,329	21,043	24,757
Interest cost	44,165	56,701	52,017
Expected return on assets	(78,187)	(80,705)	(87,404)
Recognized net loss	68,338	47,361	53,650
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(21,078)
Net periodic pension costs	81,723	44,400	43,020
Net loss	106,178	118,898	74,570
Amortization of net loss	(69,713)	(47,361)	(53,650)
Total	15,387	71,537	20,920
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	97,110	115,937	63,940
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,993	4,639	6,225
Interest cost	6,216	10,664	11,154
Expected return on assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(6,179)	(7,349)	(7,735)
Recognized net loss	(447)	(695)	1,550
Net periodic pension costs	5,583	7,259	11,194
Prior service credit for period	23,508
Net loss	8,744	(2,220)	(73,249)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	6,179	7,349	7,735
Amortization of net loss	447	695	(1,550)
Total	(8,138)	5,824	(67,064)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(2,555)	13,083	(55,870)
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,802	1,682
Net periodic pension costs	148	159	180
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,753,980	1,643,759
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	35,158	29,137	33,783
Interest cost	50,432	63,529	59,761
Expected return on assets	(89,691)	(90,607)	(99,236)
Recognized net loss	66,640	46,571	57,800
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(8,109)
Net periodic pension costs	70,648	48,630	52,108
Net loss	90,064	99,346	41,642
Amortization of net loss	(68,248)	(46,571)	(57,800)
Total	13,707	52,775	(16,158)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	84,355	101,405	35,950
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,468	1,046	1,284
Interest cost	1,536	2,681	2,731
Expected return on assets	(5,167)	(4,794)	(5,213)
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,652)	(1,756)	(1,823)
Recognized net loss	171	723	1,508
Net periodic pension costs	(3,644)	(2,100)	(1,513)
Prior service credit for period	4,428
Net loss	(4,456)	(11,950)	(7,794)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	1,652	1,756	1,823
Amortization of net loss	(171)	(723)	(1,508)
Total	(7,403)	(10,917)	(7,479)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(11,047)	(13,017)	(8,992)
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	3,345	2,938
Net periodic pension costs	359	326	300
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	466,497	438,817
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	8,060	6,516	7,286
Interest cost	12,922	16,272	15,075
Expected return on assets	(23,147)	(23,873)	(26,007)
Recognized net loss	18,983	12,416	14,438
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(3,366)
Net periodic pension costs	20,184	11,331	10,792
Net loss	36,899	41,088	19,244
Amortization of net loss	(19,393)	(12,416)	(14,438)
Total	14,140	28,672	4,806
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	34,324	40,003	15,598
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	445	367	516
Interest cost	784	1,581	1,669
Expected return on assets	(5,382)	(4,947)	(5,250)
Amortization of prior service credit	(763)	(682)	(745)
Recognized net loss	(13)	231	137
Net periodic pension costs	(4,929)	(3,450)	(3,673)
Prior service credit for period	5,493
Net loss	(5,351)	(10,967)	(981)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	763	682	745
Amortization of net loss	13	(231)	(137)
Total	(10,068)	(10,516)	(373)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(14,997)	(13,966)	(4,046)
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	240	230
Net periodic pension costs	31	20	81
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	201,159	192,561
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,654	2,274	2,693
Interest cost	5,825	7,495	7,253
Expected return on assets	(10,509)	(10,785)	(11,973)
Recognized net loss	8,018	6,117	7,816
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	0
Net periodic pension costs	5,988	5,101	5,789
Net loss	8,148	6,531	2,351
Amortization of net loss	(8,213)	(6,117)	(7,816)
Total	(65)	414	(5,465)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	5,923	5,515	324
Entergy Texas [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,219	943	1,319
Interest cost	2,008	3,415	3,754
Expected return on assets	(9,643)	(9,103)	(9,784)
Amortization of prior service credit	(3,364)	(2,243)	(2,316)
Recognized net loss	907	485	823
Net periodic pension costs	(8,873)	(6,503)	(6,204)
Prior service credit for period	22,441
Net loss	(3,266)	(6,406)	(10,561)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	3,364	2,243	2,316
Amortization of net loss	(907)	(485)	(823)
Total	(23,250)	(4,648)	(9,068)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(32,123)	(11,151)	(15,272)
Entergy Texas [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	7,949	7,391
Net periodic pension costs	469	481	650
Entergy Texas [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	379,050	371,589
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	6,116	5,401	6,356
Interest cost	10,731	14,451	13,390
Expected return on assets	(21,951)	(23,447)	(26,091)
Recognized net loss	13,173	9,335	10,503
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(4,289)
Net periodic pension costs	12,358	5,740	4,158
Net loss	13,379	10,869	24,121
Amortization of net loss	(13,564)	(9,335)	(10,503)
Total	(4,474)	1,534	13,618
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	7,884	7,274	17,776
System Energy [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,254	973	1,223
Interest cost	1,130	1,902	1,998
Expected return on assets	(2,958)	(2,788)	(3,130)
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,065)	(1,450)	(1,513)
Recognized net loss	121	354	932
Net periodic pension costs	(1,518)	(1,009)	(490)
Prior service credit for period	1,963
Net loss	58	(5,539)	(6,680)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	1,065	1,450	1,513
Amortization of net loss	(121)	(354)	(932)
Total	(961)	(4,443)	(6,099)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(2,479)	(5,452)	(6,589)
System Energy [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	410,296	368,771
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	7,883	6,199	7,102
Interest cost	11,006	13,456	12,907
Expected return on assets	(18,757)	(18,710)	(19,963)
Recognized net loss	17,104	11,400	14,859
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(105)
Net periodic pension costs	17,341	12,345	14,905
Net loss	35,403	36,711	(2,359)
Amortization of net loss	(17,434)	(11,400)	(14,859)
Total	17,864	25,311	(17,218)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	$ 35,205	$ 37,656	$ (2,313)