Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,258,675	$ 35,000	$ 6,564,436	$ 9,257,609	$ (446,920)	$ 2,700	$ (5,154,150)	$ 1,799,407	$ 35,000	$ 780,182	$ 934,773	$ 49,452	$ 1,542,151	$ 3,125,937	$ 6,397,118	$ 6,392,556	$ 4,562	$ 497,579	$ 712,068	$ 110,218	$ 601,850
Consolidated net income	123,294	4,580	0	118,714	0	0	0	32,707	0	0	32,707	0	22,526	44,595	189,396	189,396	0	11,186	28,513	28,513	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								175,000	0	175,000	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(185,763)	0	0	(185,763)	0	0	0						(2,500)		(11,500)	(11,500)	0		(13,653)	(13,653)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	47,933	0	0	0	47,933	0	0								9,467	0	9,467
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(19,827)	0	53,753	0	0	0	(73,580)
Other															(10)	(10)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Consolidated net income	488,406							79,575					61,419	104,765	359,855			16,115	57,504
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								175,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	58,316														8,522
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	$ 9,159							941
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	500,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 1.86
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,258,967	35,000	6,510,683	9,190,141	(398,987)	2,700	(5,080,570)	2,006,644	35,000	955,182	967,010	49,452	1,562,177	3,170,532	6,584,471	6,570,442	14,029	508,765	726,928	125,078	601,850
Consolidated net income	365,113	4,580	0	360,533	0	0	0	46,868	0	0	46,868	0	38,893	60,170	170,459	170,459	0	4,929	28,991	28,991	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(186,151)	0	0	(186,151)	0	0	0								(5,000)	(5,000)	0		(46,000)	(46,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	10,383	0	0	0	10,383	0	0								(945)	0	(945)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(17,256)	0	(13,647)	0	0	0	(3,609)
Other								(10)	0	(10)	0	0			(13)	(13)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	4,580							471
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	$ 4,100							471	0	0	471	0
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	500,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 0.93
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,460,988	35,000	6,524,330	9,364,523	(388,604)	2,700	(5,076,961)	2,053,031	35,000	955,172	1,013,407	49,452	1,601,070	3,230,702	6,748,972	6,735,888	13,084	513,694	709,919	108,069	601,850
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,961,142	35,000	6,549,923	9,897,182	(449,207)	2,700	(5,074,456)	2,157,578	35,000	955,162	1,117,964	49,452	1,672,734	3,276,169	7,457,688	7,453,361	4,327	606,917	1,080,546	128,696	951,850
Consolidated net income	339,145	4,580	0	334,565	0	0	0	50,058	0	0	50,058	0	25,972	93,037	166,626	166,626	0	1,771	23,864	23,864	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(190,595)	0	0	(190,595)	0	0	0												(21,000)	(21,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(51,300)	0	0	0	(51,300)	0	0								(407)	0	(407)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	1,636	0	29,871	0	0	0	(28,235)
Other															(16)	(16)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Consolidated net income	337,750							94,848					77,388	149,630	310,553			6,402	54,194
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								85,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(29,532)														181
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	$ 9,159							941
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	1,000,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 1.90
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 11,052,176	35,000	6,520,052	10,041,152	(500,507)	2,700	(5,046,221)	2,207,166	35,000	955,162	1,167,552	49,452	1,698,706	3,369,206	7,623,891	7,619,971	3,920	608,688	1,083,410	131,560	951,850
Consolidated net income	(1,394)	4,580	0	(5,974)	0	0	0	44,790	0	0	44,790	0	51,416	56,593	143,927	143,927	0	4,631	30,330	30,330	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								85,000	0	85,000	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(190,629)	0	0	(190,629)	0	0	0												(5,000)	(5,000)	0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,580)	(4,580)	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	21,768	0	0	0	21,768	0	0								588	0	588
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(18,789)	0	(14,810)	0	0	0	(3,979)
Other															(12)	(12)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	4,580							471
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	$ 4,100							471	0	0	471	0
Stock Options Excluded From Diluted Common Shares Outstanding Calculation	1,000,000
Common stock dividend (in dollars per share)	$ 0.95
Equity Distribution Sales Agreement, Aggregate Compensation to Sales Agents [Abstract]
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	$ 28,216	0	28,213	0	0	3	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(1,399)	0	(1,399)	0	0	0	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,922,947	$ 35,000	$ 6,561,676	$ 9,844,549	$ (478,739)	$ 2,703	$ (5,042,242)	$ 2,336,485	$ 35,000	$ 1,040,162	$ 1,211,871	$ 49,452	$ 1,750,122	$ 3,425,799	$ 7,768,394	$ 7,763,886	$ 4,508	$ 613,319	$ 1,108,740	$ 156,890	$ 951,850
Shares, Issued	265,468