Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit And Short-Term Borrowings (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended			9 Months Ended			1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended					9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	1 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013 Commercial Paper Program [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Credit Facility [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Credit Facility [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Non Interest Bearing First Mortgage Bonds [Member]	May 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Three Point Zero Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due June Two Thousand Twenty Three [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Four Point Seven Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due June Two Thousand Sixty Three [Member]	Jul. 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Five Point Four Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due August Two Thousand Thirteen [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Five Point Four Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due August Two Thousand Thirteen [Member]	May 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Five Point Four Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due August Two Thousand Thirteen [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Nine Percent Series H Notes [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Forty Five Million Dollar PCRB Two Point Three Seven Five Percent Due January Two Thousand Twenty One [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Entergy Arkansas [Member] Fifty Four Million PCRB One Point Five Five Percent Due October Two Thousand Seventeen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Three Point Three Eight Percent Series R Notes Due August Twenty Twenty [Member]	May 31, 2013 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] Five Point Five Six Percent Series N Notes [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Aug. 31, 2013 Entergy Louisiana [Member] Four Point Zero Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due September Two Thousand Twenty Three [Member]	May 31, 2013 Entergy Louisiana [Member] Four Point Seven Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due June Two Thousand Sixty Three [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 Entergy Mississippi [Member] Four Point Six Zero Percent Series Pollution Control Revenue Bonds Due April Two Thousand Twenty Two [Member]	Feb. 28, 2013 Entergy Mississippi [Member] Five Point One Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due February Two Thousand Thirteen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Entergy Texas [Member]	Oct. 31, 2013 System Energy [Member] Three Point Seven Eight Percent Series I Notes Due October Two Thousand Eighteen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 System Energy [Member] Six Point Two Nine Percent Seried F Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Entergy New Orleans Three Point Nine Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due July Two Thousand Twenty Three [Member]	Jun. 30, 2013 Entergy New Orleans Five Point Two Five Percent Series First Mortgage Bonds Due August Two Thousand Thirteen [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member] Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member] Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member] Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member] Entergy Texas [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member] Entergy New Orleans	Sep. 30, 2013 Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 3,500,000,000				$ 250,000,000
Issuance of letters of credit, percentage of total borrowing capacity	50.00%			50.00%											50.00%				50.00%						50.00%
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage	0.275%																													0.275%						0.125%
Debt, weighted average interest rate		0.83%	1.96%
Consolidated debt ratio				65.00%																		65.00%								65.00%		65.00%	65.00%	65.00%
Commercial Paper program limit	1,500,000,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding	1,016,000,000
Debt ratio																															65.00%				65.00%
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount	0.125%
Issuance Of Debt							250,000,000	125,000,000					45,000,000	54,700,000						325,000,000	100,000,000					85,000,000		100,000,000
Repayments of debt									300,000,000	300,000,000	300,000,000	30,000,000					75,000,000	200,000,000					16,030,000	100,000,000			70,000,000		70,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage							3.05%	4.75%	5.40%	5.40%	5.40%	9.00%	2.375%	1.55%		3.38%	5.56%			4.05%	4.70%		4.60%	5.15%		3.78%	6.29%	3.90%	5.25%
Consolidated debt ratio of total capitalization																														70.00%
Issuance of Senior Notes																70,000,000
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding	150,000,000				250,000,000
Held-to-maturity Securities Pledged as Collateral						$ 255,000,000