Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Total		Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]		Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]		Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [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 Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Preferred Membership Interest	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Capital Stock Expense and Other [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 9,291,089		$ 94,000		$ 2,548	$ (5,574,819)	$ 5,357,852	$ 9,704,591		$ (293,083)	$ 1,579,616	$ 470	$ 588,444	$ 990,702	$ 1,383,004	$ 10,000	$ 1,438,233	$ (65,229)	$ 3,070,496	$ 100,000	$ 3,016,628	$ (46,132)	$ 879,646	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 681,010	$ 195,565	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 125,527	$ 854,146	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 322,700	$ 832,729	$ 789,350	$ 43,379
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	166,982	[1]	5,582	[1]	0	0	0	161,400	[1]	0	14,719	0	0	14,719	27,165	0	27,165	0	45,376	0	45,376	0	13,934	0	0	13,934	1,307	0	0	1,307	922	0	0	922	28,006	0	28,006
Distribution to parent																			(40,601)	0	(40,601)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(10,575)		0		0	0	0	0		(10,575)					955	0	0	955	678	0	0	678
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	12,982		0		0	20,949	(7,967)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(147,820)		0		0	0	0	(147,820)		0	15,000	0	0	15,000	(119,900)	0	(119,900)	0					7,400	0	0	7,400									(50,000)	0	(50,000)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(5,582)	[1]	(5,582)	[1]	0	0	0	0		0	(1,718)	0	0	(1,718)	(206)	0	(206)	0	(1,738)	0	(1,738)	0	(707)	0	0	(707)	(241)	0	0	(241)
Other															(10)	0	(10)	0
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2013	9,307,076		94,000		2,548	(5,553,870)	5,349,885	9,718,171		(303,658)	1,577,617	470	588,444	988,703	1,291,008	10,000	1,345,282	(64,274)	3,074,211	100,000	3,019,665	(45,454)	885,473	199,326	(690)	686,837	196,631	33,744	36,294	126,593	855,068	49,452	481,994	323,622	810,735	789,350	21,385
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	9,726,466		94,000		2,548	(5,533,942)	5,368,131	9,825,053		(29,324)	1,719,718	470	588,471	1,130,777	1,460,977	10,000	1,479,179	(28,202)	2,975,652	100,000	2,885,287	(9,635)	951,577	199,326	(690)	752,941	206,283	33,744	36,294	136,245	887,027	49,452	481,994	355,581	876,107	789,350	86,757
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	406,053		4,879			0	0	401,174		0	28,370	0	0	28,370	46,472	0	46,472	0	58,378	0	58,378	0	25,839	0	0	25,839	8,294	0	0	8,294	13,165	0	0	13,165	24,619	0	24,619
Distribution to parent																			(43,434)	0	(43,434)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	24,122		0		0	0	0	0		24,122					122	0	0	122	(302)	0	0	(302)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	38,941		0		0	56,440	(17,499)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(148,275)		0			0	0	(148,275)		0					(33,317)	0	(33,317)	0													(40,000)	0	0	(40,000)	(15,000)	0	(15,000)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,879)	[1]	(4,879)	[1]		0		0		0	(1,718)	0	0	(1,718)	(206)	0	(206)	0	(1,738)	0	(1,738)	0	(707)	0	0	(707)	(241)	0	0	(241)
Other															(10)	0	(10)	0
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2014	$ 10,042,428		$ 94,000		$ 2,548	$ (5,477,502)	$ 5,350,632	$ 10,077,952		$ (5,202)	$ 1,746,370	$ 470	$ 588,471	$ 1,157,429	$ 1,474,038	$ 10,000	$ 1,492,118	$ (28,080)	$ 2,988,556	$ 100,000	$ 2,898,493	$ (9,937)	$ 976,709	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 778,073	$ 214,336	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 144,298	$ 860,192	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 328,746	$ 885,726	$ 789,350	$ 96,376

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2014 and 2013 include $3.2 million and $3.9 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.