Risk Management and Fair Values (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 MMBTU MWh	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 counterparty MWh MMBTU	Sep. 30, 2013 counterparty	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy Arkansas [Member] MWh	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy Gulf States Louisiana [Member] MMBTU MWh	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy Louisiana [Member] MWh MMBTU	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy Mississippi [Member] MWh MMBTU	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy New Orleans [Member] MMBTU MWh	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy Texas [Member] MWh	Sep. 30, 2014 Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] Electricity Swaps And Options And Fixed Transmission Rights [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Utility and Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] Electricity Swaps And Options And Fixed Transmission Rights [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] Electricity Swaps And Options [Member]
Risk Management and Fair Values [Abstract]
Cash Collateral for Borrowed Securities												$ 4
Cash collateral posted											0	47	4
Cash flow hedges relating to power sales as part of net unrealized gains			(113)
Reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (OCI) to operating revenues			(96)
Number of Derivative Contract Counterparties in a Liability Position			9	5
Maturity of cash flow hedges, before taxes	13	35	(182)	38
Maturity of cash flow hedges, Tax	5	13	(64)	14
Maximum length of time over which Company is currently hedging the variability in future cash flows for forecasted power transactions, years			2 years 3 months
Planned generation sold forward from non utility nuclear power plants for the remainder of the period			75.00%
Planned Generation Sold Forward under financial derivatives	60.00%		60.00%
Total planned generation for remainder of the period (MMBtu)			10,000,000
Total volume of natural gas swaps outstanding (MMBtu)	19,999,000		19,999,000			9,400,000	6,690,000	2,670,000	1,239,000
Total volume of fixed transmission rights outstanding (MMBtu)	73,378,000		73,378,000		15,935,000	16,199,000	16,991,000	9,032,000	5,846,000	9,264,000
Change in cash flow hedges due to ineffectiveness	(1.0)	(1.8)	0.8	(2.3)
Dollar amount of hedge contract in a liability position	$ 96	$ 32	$ 96	$ 32