Retirement And Other Postretirement Benefits (Components Of Qualified Net Pension Cost) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
Parent Company [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Recognized Net Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailments		$ 1,304,000		$ 1,304,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	35,109,000	43,542,000	105,327,000	131,644,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	72,519,000	65,464,000	217,557,000	195,996,000
Expected return on assets	(90,366,000)	(81,898,000)	(271,098,000)	(245,394,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	400,000	531,000	1,200,000	1,665,000
Amortization of loss	36,274,000	54,156,000	108,822,000	164,058,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Recognized Net Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailments	0	1,304,000	0	1,304,000
Defined Benefit Plan, Special Termination Benefits			732,000	0
Net other postretirement benefit cost	53,936,000	83,099,000	162,540,000	249,273,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined Benefit Plan, Recognized Net Gain (Loss) Due to Curtailments		1,304,000		1,304,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,023,000	6,371,000	15,069,000	19,113,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	14,884,000	13,550,000	44,652,000	40,650,000
Expected return on assets	(18,305,000)	(16,717,000)	(54,915,000)	(50,151,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		6,000		18,000
Amortization of loss	8,989,000	12,544,000	26,967,000	37,631,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	10,591,000	15,754,000	31,773,000	47,261,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,881,000	3,599,000	8,643,000	10,797,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	7,278,000	6,657,000	21,834,000	19,971,000
Expected return on assets	(9,488,000)	(8,734,000)	(28,464,000)	(26,202,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		2,000		6,000
Amortization of loss	3,981,000	5,933,000	11,943,000	17,800,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	4,652,000	7,457,000	13,956,000	22,372,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	3,546,000.000	4,334,000	10,638,000	13,002,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	9,467,000.000	8,644,000	28,401,000	25,932,000
Expected return on assets	(11,449,000.000)	(10,454,000)	(34,347,000)	(31,362,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		21,000		63,000
Amortization of loss	6,131,000.000	8,727,000	18,393,000	26,181,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	7,695,000.000	11,272,000	23,085,000	33,816,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,523,000.000	1,842,000	4,569,000	5,526,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,318,000.000	3,930,000	12,954,000	11,790,000
Expected return on assets	(5,698,000.000)	(5,279,000)	(17,094,000)	(15,837,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		2,000		6,000
Amortization of loss	2,354,000.000	3,344,000	7,062,000	10,032,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,497,000.000	3,839,000	7,491,000	11,517,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	666,000.000	832,000	1,998,000	2,496,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,041,000.000	1,849,000	6,123,000	5,547,000
Expected return on assets	(2,505,000.000)	(2,270,000)	(7,515,000)	(6,810,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		0		0
Amortization of loss	1,449,000.000	2,011,000	4,347,000	6,033,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,651,000.000	2,422,000	4,953,000	7,266,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,285,000.000	1,637,000	3,855,000	4,911,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	4,437,000.000	4,055,000	13,311,000	12,165,000
Expected return on assets	(5,931,000.000)	(5,566,000)	(17,793,000)	(16,698,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		2,000		6,000
Amortization of loss	2,339,000.000	3,373,000	7,017,000	10,118,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,130,000.000	3,501,000	6,390,000	10,502,000
Pension Plans Defined Benefit [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,446,000.000	1,836,000	4,338,000	5,508,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,390,000.000	3,016,000	10,170,000	9,048,000
Expected return on assets	(4,155,000.000)	(4,299,000)	(12,465,000)	(12,897,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)		3,000		9,000
Amortization of loss	2,375,000.000	2,429,000	7,125,000	7,286,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,056,000.000	2,985,000	9,168,000	8,954,000
Other Postretirement [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	10,873,000	18,917,000	32,619,000	56,751,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	17,960,000	19,766,000	53,880,000	59,298,000
Expected return on assets	(11,197,000)	(9,950,000)	(33,591,000)	(29,850,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(7,898,000)	(3,334,000)	(23,694,000)	(10,002,000)
Amortization of loss	2,786,000	11,304,000	8,358,000	33,912,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	12,524,000	36,703,000	37,572,000	110,109,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,489,000.000	2,414,000.000	4,467,000	7,242,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	3,065,000.000	3,360,000.000	9,195,000	10,080,000
Expected return on assets	(4,784,000.000)	(4,149,000.000)	(14,352,000)	(12,447,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(610,000.000)	(133,000.000)	(1,830,000)	(399,000)
Amortization of loss	317,000.000	2,041,000.000	951,000	6,124,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(523,000.000)	3,533,000.000	(1,569,000)	10,600,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,224,000.000	2,001,000.000	3,672,000	6,003,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,095,000.000	2,226,000.000	6,285,000	6,678,000
Expected return on assets			0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(559,000.000)	(206,000.000)	(1,677,000)	(618,000)
Amortization of loss	303,000.000	1,173,000.000	909,000	3,520,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	3,063,000.000	5,194,000.000	9,189,000	15,583,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,130,000.000	2,172,000.000	3,390,000	6,516,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	2,066,000.000	2,349,000.000	6,198,000	7,047,000
Expected return on assets			0	0
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(844,000.000)	(62,000.000)	(2,532,000)	(186,000)
Amortization of loss	378,000.000	1,288,000.000	1,134,000	3,862,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	2,730,000.000	5,747,000.000	8,190,000	17,239,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	475,000.000	819,000.000	1,425,000	2,457,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	914,000.000	1,074,000.000	2,742,000	3,222,000
Expected return on assets	(1,443,000.000)	(1,317,000.000)	(4,329,000)	(3,951,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(229,000.000)	(35,000.000)	(687,000)	(105,000)
Amortization of loss	37,000.000	662,000.000	111,000	1,987,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(246,000.000)	1,203,000.000	(738,000)	3,610,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	217,000.000	447,000.000	651,000	1,341,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	701,000.000	785,000.000	2,103,000	2,355,000
Expected return on assets	(1,119,000.000)	(1,014,000.000)	(3,357,000)	(3,042,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(177,000.000)	10,000.000	(531,000)	30,000
Amortization of loss	14,000.000	396,000.000	42,000	1,189,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(364,000.000)	624,000.000	(1,092,000)	1,873,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	595,000.000	950,000.000	1,785,000	2,850,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	1,413,000.000	1,515,000.000	4,239,000	4,545,000
Expected return on assets	(2,590,000.000)	(2,321,000.000)	(7,770,000)	(6,963,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(325,000.000)	(107,000.000)	(975,000)	(321,000)
Amortization of loss	200,000.000	976,000.000	600,000	2,927,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	(707,000.000)	1,013,000.000	(2,121,000)	3,038,000
Other Postretirement [Member] | System Energy [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	515,000.000	907,000.000	1,545,000	2,721,000
Interest cost on projected benefit obligation	653,000.000	729,000.000	1,959,000	2,187,000
Expected return on assets	(932,000.000)	(825,000.000)	(2,796,000)	(2,475,000)
Amortization of prior service cost (credit)	(206,000.000)	(16,000.000)	(618,000)	(48,000)
Amortization of loss	111,000.000	479,000.000	333,000	1,437,000
Net other postretirement benefit cost	141,000.000	1,274,000.000	423,000	3,822,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Parent Company [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	6,500,000	33,100,000	25,600,000	44,100,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	377,000	121,000	657,000	326,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	32,000	38,000	98,000	113,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	1,000	3,000	4,000	9,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	47,000	46,000	143,000	139,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	24,000	22,000	70,000	68,000
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Net other postretirement benefit cost	$ 129,000	$ 560,000	$ 373,000	$ 857,000