Quarterly Financial Data (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2018	Aug. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges							$ 26,379	$ 226,678	$ 491,739
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%								35.00%	35.00%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities							238,669	(14,781)	$ (803,323)
Asset Impairment Charges							26,623	290,027	532,321
After-Tax Asset Impairment Charge				$ 4,200
Reduction in deferred income tax expense							230,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							(131,114)	193,950	(256,848)
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities							71,698	(35,881)	(125,185)
Regulatory Liabilities			$ 2,400					2,400
Reduction in deferred income tax expense							383,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							(356,256)	196,533	174,063
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities							106,878	39,293	(341,682)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							87,019	94,368	129,524
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities							(18,672)	(21,524)	(131,856)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							36,827	32,547	56,502
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities							(4,728)	(22,105)	(28,459)
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							3,938	21,350	24,548
Reduction to income tax expense							8,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reduction of Income Tax Expense, Net of Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Resulting From Tax Election						$ 107,000
Reduction to income tax expense			$ 174,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reduction in income tax expense due to internal restructuring								156,000
Asset impairment excluding loss from sale of assets								100,000
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges							19,000	290,000	$ 532,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax								$ 79,000
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							105,000
Utility [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reduction in deferred income tax expense							396,000
Parent & Other [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Deferred Income Taxes and Tax Credits							$ 61,000
Vermont Yankee [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges					$ 173,000
Pilgrim [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property		$ 190,000
Reduction to income tax expense		$ 156,000