Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 42,951	$ 40,379	$ 88,191	$ 80,758
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	47,382	60,799	93,480	121,598
Expected return on assets	(106,039)	(103,565)	(211,753)	(207,130)
Amortization of loss	92,799	87,259	197,190	174,518
Net other postretirement benefit cost	188,642	84,872	278,657	169,744
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	111,549	0	111,549	0
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	7,255	6,566	14,674	13,132
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	8,752	11,433	17,092	22,866
Expected return on assets	(19,640)	(19,622)	(39,311)	(39,244)
Amortization of loss	18,250	16,897	37,552	33,794
Net other postretirement benefit cost	39,003	15,274	54,393	30,548
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	24,386		24,386
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	9,759	8,794	19,803	17,588
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	9,864	12,841	19,425	25,682
Expected return on assets	(22,516)	(22,402)	(45,055)	(44,804)
Amortization of loss	17,890	16,627	37,093	33,254
Net other postretirement benefit cost	49,989	15,860	66,258	31,720
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	34,992		34,992
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,304	2,023	4,668	4,046
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,571	3,340	5,034	6,680
Expected return on assets	(5,600)	(5,757)	(11,186)	(11,514)
Amortization of loss	5,309	4,748	10,976	9,496
Net other postretirement benefit cost	12,346	4,354	17,254	8,708
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	7,762		7,762
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	774	663	1,569	1,326
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,079	1,456	2,108	2,912
Expected return on assets	(2,641)	(2,627)	(5,263)	(5,254)
Amortization of loss	2,069	2,005	4,340	4,010
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,866	1,497	6,339	2,994
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	3,585		3,585
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,757	1,546	3,557	3,092
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,052	2,782	4,002	5,564
Expected return on assets	(5,272)	(5,486)	(10,510)	(10,972)
Amortization of loss	3,415	3,265	7,126	6,530
Net other postretirement benefit cost	8,578	2,107	10,801	4,214
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	6,626		6,626
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,253	1,965	4,566	3,930
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,236	2,814	4,378	5,628
Expected return on assets	(4,804)	(4,663)	(9,583)	(9,326)
Amortization of loss	4,933	4,279	10,258	8,558
Net other postretirement benefit cost	9,256	4,395	14,257	8,790
Defined Benefit Plan, Net Periodic Benefit Cost (Credit), Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailment	4,638		4,638
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	6,645	6,231	13,290	12,032
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	5,320	6,888	10,640	14,820
Expected return on assets	(10,805)	(10,182)	(21,610)	(20,510)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(8,267)	(8,985)	(16,534)	(14,907)
Amortization of loss	713	1,005	1,426	1,473
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(6,394)	(5,043)	(12,788)	(7,092)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,034	933	2,068	1,761
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	932	1,164	1,864	2,381
Expected return on assets	(4,505)	(4,260)	(9,010)	(8,586)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(280)	(396)	(560)	(1,057)
Amortization of loss	49	162	98	217
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(2,770)	(2,397)	(5,540)	(5,284)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,544	1,524	3,088	2,947
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,130	1,497	2,260	3,220
Expected return on assets	0	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(1,230)	(1,695)	(2,460)	(2,784)
Amortization of loss	(91)	(81)	(182)	(280)
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,353	1,245	2,706	3,103
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	362	372	724	723
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	278	372	556	794
Expected return on assets	(1,384)	(1,287)	(2,768)	(2,594)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(444)	(444)	(888)	(765)
Amortization of loss	19	48	38	77
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(1,169)	(939)	(2,338)	(1,765)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	109	114	218	219
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	130	186	260	413
Expected return on assets	(1,438)	(1,344)	(2,876)	(2,699)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(229)	(228)	(458)	(304)
Amortization of loss	(178)	9	(356)	(29)
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(1,606)	(1,263)	(3,212)	(2,400)
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	346	306	692	609
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	317	477	634	1,059
Expected return on assets	(2,548)	(2,403)	(5,096)	(4,838)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(936)	(939)	(1,872)	(1,489)
Amortization of loss	100	231	200	443
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(2,721)	(2,328)	(5,442)	(4,216)
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	335	321	670	615
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	220	276	440	583
Expected return on assets	(789)	(735)	(1,578)	(1,483)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(109)	(282)	(218)	(501)
Amortization of loss	15	33	30	53
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(328)	(387)	(656)	(733)
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,600	4,500	9,200	9,100
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	90	83	180	166
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	44	37	88	74
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	96	90	192	180
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	8	8	16	16
Non Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	$ 115	$ 117	$ 230	$ 234