Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Financial Information
Interest and investment income											$ 199,300		$ 127,776		$ 128,994
Interest expense											604,037		569,284		513,627
Income taxes											225,981		30,855		286,263
Consolidated net income	151,353		244,182	168,055	166,982	301,850		342,670	370,583	(146,740)	730,572	[1]	868,363	[1]	1,367,372	[1]
Total assets	43,406,446					43,202,502					43,406,446		43,202,502
Investment in affiliates - at equity	40,350					46,738					40,350		46,738		44,876		40,697
Utility Plants [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											9,101,786		8,005,091		8,841,828
Deprec., amort. & decomm.											1,157,843		1,076,845		1,027,597
Interest and investment income											186,724		150,292		158,737
Interest expense											509,173		476,485		455,739
Income taxes											365,917		49,340		27,311
Consolidated net income											846,215		960,322		1,123,866
Total assets	35,539,585					35,438,130					35,539,585		35,438,130		32,734,549
Investment in affiliates - at equity	199					199					199		199		199
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											2,268,083		3,182,695		2,351,913
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											2,312,758	[2]	2,326,309	[2]	2,413,773	[2]
Deprec., amort. & decomm.											341,163	[2]	248,143	[2]	260,643	[2]
Interest and investment income											137,727	[2]	105,062	[2]	99,762	[2]
Interest expense											16,323	[2]	17,900	[2]	33,067	[2]
Income taxes											(77,471)	[2]	61,329	[2]	176,286	[2]
Consolidated net income											42,976	[2]	40,427	[2]	491,846	[2]
Total assets	9,696,705	[2]				9,623,345	[2]				9,696,705	[2]	9,623,345	[2]	9,796,529	[2]
Investment in affiliates - at equity	40,151	[2]				46,539	[2]				40,151	[2]	46,539	[2]	44,677	[2]
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											626,322	[2]	577,652	[2]	1,048,146	[2]
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											3,558		4,048		4,157
Deprec., amort. & decomm.											4,142		4,357		4,557
Interest and investment income											24,179		30,656		16,368
Interest expense											122,291		126,913		60,113
Income taxes											(62,465)		(79,814)		82,666
Consolidated net income											(53,039)		(26,167)		(137,760)
Total assets	(486,438)					(509,985)					(486,438)		(509,985)		228,691
Investment in affiliates - at equity	0					0					0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											49		619		(402)
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											(27,155)		(33,369)		(30,685)
Deprec., amort. & decomm.											0		0		0
Interest and investment income											(149,330)		(158,234)		(145,873)
Interest expense											(43,750)		(52,014)		(35,292)
Income taxes											0		0		0
Consolidated net income											(105,580)		(106,219)		(110,580)
Total assets	(1,343,406)					(1,348,988)					(1,343,406)		(1,348,988)		(2,058,070)
Investment in affiliates - at equity	0					0					0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											0		0		0
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues											11,390,947		10,302,079		11,229,073
Deprec., amort. & decomm.											1,503,148		1,329,345		1,292,797
Interest and investment income											199,300		127,776		128,994
Interest expense											604,037		569,284		513,627
Income taxes											225,981		30,855		286,263
Consolidated net income											730,572		868,363		1,367,372
Total assets	43,406,446					43,202,502					43,406,446		43,202,502		40,701,699
Investment in affiliates - at equity	40,350					46,738					40,350		46,738		44,876
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions											$ 2,894,454		$ 3,760,966		$ 3,399,657

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2013, 2012, and 2011 include $12.0 million, $15.0 million, and $13.3 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented as equity.

[2] Businesses marked with * are sometimes referred to as the “competitive businesses.” Eliminations are primarily intersegment activity. Almost all of Entergy’s goodwill is related to the Utility segment.