Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity (USD $) In Thousands	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy New Orleans Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Total
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	$ 470	$ 588,444	$ 814,992	$ 1,403,906	$ 10,000	$ 1,494,593	$ (40,304)	$ 1,464,289	$ 100,000	$ 2,061,833	$ (24,962)	$ 2,136,871	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 534,469	$ 733,105	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 118,116	$ 188,154	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 292,844	$ 824,290	$ 789,350	$ 23,016	$ 812,366	$ 94,000	$ 2,548	$ (5,524,811)	$ 5,367,474	$ 8,689,401	$ (38,212)	$ 8,590,400
Consolidated net income			156,851	156,851	0	150,197	0	150,197		453,125		453,125	0	0	74,312	74,312			36,077	36,077	0	0	79,698	79,698		55,585	55,585	15,046	0	0	0	1,192,300	0	1,207,346
Other comprehensive income (loss)					0	0	1,715	1,715			1,467	1,467																0	0	0	0	0	(100,125)	(100,125)
Common stock repurchased, value																												0	0	(234,632)	0	0	0	(234,632)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans																												0	0	58,635	(4,515)	0	0	54,120
Common stock dividends declared			(117,100)	(117,100)	0	(281,950)	0	(281,950)		(31,200)		(31,200)	0	0	(3,300)	(3,300)			(27,800)	(27,800)	0	0	(5,780)	(5,780)		(62,000)	(62,000)	0	0	0	0	(442,701)	0	(442,701)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries			(5,155)	(5,155)	0	(619)	0	(619)		(5,213)		(5,213)	0	0	(2,121)	(2,121)			(724)	(724)								(15,046)	0	0	0	0	0	(15,046)
Other					0	(19)	0	(19)				0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Other										333,830	0	333,830
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011	470	588,444	849,588	1,438,502	10,000	1,362,202	(38,589)	1,333,613	100,000	2,812,375	(23,495)	2,888,880	199,326	(690)	603,360	801,996	33,744	36,294	125,669	195,707	49,452	481,994	366,762	898,208	789,350	16,601	805,951	94,000	2,548	(5,700,808)	5,362,959	9,439,000	(138,337)	9,059,362
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2011
Consolidated net income				80,945				53,170				337,722				33,169				18,943				40,875			14,263							633,069
Other comprehensive income (loss)								486				366																						(63,181)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries																																		(5,015)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2011	470	588,444		1,438,502				1,333,613	100,000			2,888,880				801,996	33,744	36,294		195,707				898,208	789,350		805,951							9,059,362
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	470	588,444	855,210	1,444,124	10,000	1,393,386	(69,610)	1,333,776	100,000	2,504,436	(39,507)	2,564,929	199,326	(690)	637,070	835,706	33,744	36,294	111,127	181,165	49,452	481,994	367,909	899,355	789,350	11,213	800,563	94,000	2,548	(5,680,468)	5,360,682	9,446,960	(168,452)	9,055,270
Consolidated net income			142,180	142,180	0	128,958	0	128,958		244,217	0	244,217	0	0	51,676	51,676			17,781	17,781	0	0	37,182	37,182		92,520	92,520	16,108	0	0	0	550,405	0	566,513
Member contribution					0	1,000	0	1,000
Other comprehensive income (loss)					0	0	12,397	12,397		0	1,890	1,890																0	0	0	0	0	31,659	31,659
Common stock issuances related to stock plans																												0	0	95,857	(7,163)	0	0	88,694
Common stock dividends declared			(5,155)	(5,155)	0	(67,400)	0	(67,400)		(600)	0	(600)							(1,700)	(1,700)	0	0	(57,420)	(57,420)		(32,750)	(32,750)	0	0	0	0	(441,506)	0	(441,506)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries					0	(619)	0	(619)		(5,213)	0	(5,213)	0	0	(2,121)	(2,121)			(724)	(724)								(16,108)	0	0	0	0	0	(16,108)
Other					0	(114)	0	(114)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	470	588,444	992,235	1,581,149	10,000	1,455,211	(57,213)	1,407,998	100,000	2,742,840	(37,617)	2,805,223	199,326	(690)	686,625	885,261	33,744	36,294	126,484	196,522	49,452	481,994	347,671	879,117	789,350	70,983	860,333	94,000	2,548	(5,584,611)	5,353,519	9,555,859	(136,793)	9,284,522
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2012
Consolidated net income				82,551				50,210				80,208				27,080				10,555				19,234			30,616							342,670
Other comprehensive income (loss)								862				630																						(61,196)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries																																		(5,582)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2012	$ 470	$ 588,444		$ 1,581,149				$ 1,407,998	$ 100,000			$ 2,805,223				$ 885,261	$ 33,744	$ 36,294		$ 196,522				$ 879,117	$ 789,350		$ 860,333							$ 9,284,522