Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines of Credit and Short-Term Borrowings and Long-Term Debt (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	$ 3,463,000,000
Borrowings	1,870,000,000
Letters of credit	25,000,000
Capacity Available	1,568,000,000
Credit facilities
Amount of Facility	3,463,000,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	1,870,000,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Credit facilities One [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	35,000,000	[1]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	May 2012
Amount of Facility	35,000,000	[1]
Interest Rate	1.99%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Credit facilities Two [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	25,000,000	[1]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	May 2012
Amount of Facility	25,000,000	[1]
Interest Rate	1.99%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Credit facilities Three [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	10,000,000	[1]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	May 2012
Amount of Facility	10,000,000	[1]
Interest Rate	1.99%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	78,000,000	[3]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	April 2012
Amount of Facility	78,000,000	[3]
Interest Rate	3.25%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	250,000,000
Borrowings	58,300,000		62,777,000
Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	100,000,000	[4]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	August 2012
Amount of Facility	100,000,000	[4]
Interest Rate	0.71%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	200,000,000
Borrowings	0
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	200,000,000	[5]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	August 2012
Amount of Facility	200,000,000	[5]
Interest Rate	0.71%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	250,000,000
Borrowings	56,543,000		23,066,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	175,000,000
Borrowings	16,000,000
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	100,000,000
Borrowings	0
Entergy Texas [Member]
Summary of the borrowings outstanding and capacity available under the facility
Capacity	100,000,000	[6]
Borrowings	0
Credit facilities
Expiration Date	August 2012
Amount of Facility	100,000,000	[6]
Interest Rate	0.71%	[2]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding	0
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	200,000,000
Borrowings	0
System Energy [Member]
Short-term borrowings and the outstanding short-term borrowings
Authorized	200,000,000
Borrowings	$ 0		$ 38,264,000

[1] Borrowings under the Entergy Mississippi credit facilities may be secured by a security interest in its accounts receivable. Entergy Mississippi is required to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization.

[2] The interest rate is the rate as of September 30, 2011 that would be applied to outstanding borrowings under the facility.

[3] The credit facility requires Entergy Arkansas to maintain a debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization. Borrowings under the Entergy Arkansas credit facility may be secured by a security interest in its accounts receivable.

[4] The credit facility allows Entergy Gulf States Louisiana to issue letters of credit against the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of September 30, 2011, no letters of credit were outstanding. The credit facility requires Entergy Gulf States Louisiana to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization.

[5] The credit facility allows Entergy Louisiana to issue letters of credit against the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of September 30, 2011, no letters of credit were outstanding. The credit facility requires Entergy Louisiana to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization.

[6] The credit facility allows Entergy Texas to issue letters of credit against the borrowing capacity of the facility. As of September 30, 2011, no letters of credit were outstanding. The credit facility requires Entergy Texas to maintain a consolidated debt ratio of 65% or less of its total capitalization. Pursuant to the terms of the credit agreement securitization bonds are excluded from debt and capitalization in calculating the debt ratio.