Business Segment Information Segment Financial Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Sep. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Financial Information
Interest expense									$ 785,663	$ 742,425	$ 707,348
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(121,506)	(169,825)	(1,036,826)
Consolidated net income	$ 392,547	$ 525,699	$ 365,113	$ 123,294	$ 389,606	$ 369,459	$ 240,533	$ 258,646	1,406,653	1,258,244	862,555
Total assets	58,239,212				51,723,912				58,239,212	51,723,912
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									(25)	(52)	(123)
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									0	0	0
Interest and investment income									(159,943)	(182,589)	(186,217)
Interest expense									(32,350)	(54,995)	(58,623)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									0	0	0
Consolidated net income									(127,594)	(127,594)	(127,594)
Total assets	(2,053,951)				(2,502,733)				(2,053,951)	(2,502,733)	(2,694,742)
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									0	0	0
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									0	0	0
Utility [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									9,170,714	9,583,985	9,540,670
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									1,685,138	1,493,167	1,367,944
Interest and investment income									299,004	289,570	203,936
Interest expense									648,851	589,395	552,919
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(282,311)	19,634	(732,548)
Consolidated net income									1,816,354	1,425,643	1,495,061
Total assets	55,940,153				49,557,664				55,940,153	49,557,664	44,777,167
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									5,102,322	4,527,045	3,987,424
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									0	0	0
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									942,869	1,294,719	1,468,905
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									306,974	384,707	388,732
Interest and investment income									234,194	414,636	14,543
Interest expense									22,432	29,450	33,694
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									104,937	(161,295)	(269,025)
Consolidated net income									(62,763)	148,870	(340,641)
Total assets	3,800,378				4,154,961				3,800,378	4,154,961	5,459,275
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									54,455	104,300	283,707
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									26,623	290,027	532,321
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									78	21	0
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									2,835	2,944	1,274
Interest and investment income									19,563	26,295	31,602
Interest expense									146,730	178,575	179,358
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									55,868	(28,164)	(35,253)
Consolidated net income									(219,344)	(188,675)	(164,271)
Total assets	552,632				514,020				552,632	514,020	733,366
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									84	160	86
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									0	0	0
Entergy Corporation Consolidated
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									10,113,636	10,878,673	11,009,452
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									1,994,947	1,880,818	1,757,950
Interest and investment income									392,818	547,912	63,864
Interest expense									785,663	742,425	707,348
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(121,506)	(169,825)	(1,036,826)
Consolidated net income									1,406,653	1,258,244	862,555
Total assets	$ 58,239,212				$ 51,723,912				58,239,212	51,723,912	48,275,066
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									5,156,861	4,631,505	4,271,217
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									$ 26,623	$ 290,027	$ 532,321