Business Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	$ 2,803,279	$ 2,862,950	$ 5,344,488	$ 5,622,296
Income taxes (benefits)	150,953	203,907	315,203	351,592
Consolidated net income (loss)	320,598	320,283	574,277	539,097
Utility [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	2,241,475	2,246,108	4,179,093	4,349,937
Income taxes (benefits)	139,036	141,047	229,241	231,017
Consolidated net income (loss)	252,741	230,173	421,394	373,144
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	568,076	622,067	1,178,223	1,282,466
Income taxes (benefits)	64,324	67,348	149,265	154,888
Consolidated net income (loss)	65,556	104,557	188,789	195,099
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	1,038	2,068	2,138	4,025
Income taxes (benefits)	(52,407)	(4,488)	(63,303)	(34,313)
Consolidated net income (loss)	29,946	3,912	19,383	7,573
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	(7,310)	(7,293)	(14,966)	(14,132)
Consolidated net income (loss)	$ (27,645)	$ (18,359)	$ (55,289)	$ (36,719)

Segment Financial Information.

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- Definition

Amount of income tax expense or benefit attributed to the reportable segment. Must be disclosed if the amount (a) is included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) is otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph h

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of revenue from transactions with other operating segments of the same entity. Must be disclosed if the amount (a) is included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) is otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph b

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- Definition

Amount of profit or loss recognized by the reportable segment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27

+ Details

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Amount of total revenue for the reportable segment, including revenue from external customers, transactions with other operating segments of the same entity, and (gross) interest revenue. All considered to be "operating revenue" for purposes of the taxonomy.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph a, b, c

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount of revenue from external customers for the reportable segment. Must be disclosed if the amounts (a) is included in the measure of segment profit or loss reviewed by the chief operating decision maker or (b) is otherwise regularly provided to the chief operating decision maker, even if not included in that measure of segment profit or loss

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 131
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph a

+ Details

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