Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2020
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,844,838	$ 2,427,179
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	65,942	(71,194)
Consolidated net income	339,145	123,294
Assets	58,667,628		$ 58,239,212
Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,596,616	2,094,629
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	59,734	(52,949)
Consolidated net income	360,600	323,849
Assets	56,086,185		55,940,153
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	248,219	332,549
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	15,560	(30,540)
Consolidated net income	38,124	(110,428)
Assets	3,793,754		3,800,378
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	23	11
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(9,352)	12,295
Consolidated net income	(27,680)	(58,228)
Assets	867,301		552,632
Eliminations
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	(20)	(10)
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	0	0
Consolidated net income	(31,899)	$ (31,899)
Assets	$ (2,079,612)		$ (2,053,951)