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	579,220	[1]	14,247	[1]	0		0	0	564,973	[1]	0	137,779	0	0	137,779	119,528	0	119,528	0	207,350	0	207,350	0	66,701	0	0	66,701	9,990	0	0	9,990	47,676	0	0	47,676	90,845	0	90,845
Distribution to parent																				(371,855)	0	(371,855)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	49,553		0		0		0	0	0		49,553					2,880	0	0	2,880	2,045	0	0	2,045
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	40,747		0		0		36,175	4,572	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(443,911)		0		0		0	0	(443,911)		0	(15,000)	0	0	(15,000)	(119,900)	0	(119,900)	0					(7,400)	0	0	(7,400)					(25,000)	0	0	(25,000)	(50,000)	0	(50,000)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(14,247)	[1]	(14,247)	[1]	0		0	0	0		0	(5,155)	0	0	(5,155)	(619)	0	(619)	0	(5,213)	0	(5,213)	0	(2,121)	0	0	(2,121)	(724)	0	0	(724)
Other																16	0	16	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2013	9,502,451		94,000		2,548		(5,538,644)	5,362,424	9,825,653		(243,530)	1,697,240	470	588,444	1,108,326	1,384,909	10,000	1,437,258	(62,349)	2,902,823	100,000	2,846,910	(44,087)	936,826	199,326	(690)	738,190	204,831	33,744	36,294	134,793	876,822	49,452	481,994	345,376	873,574	789,350	84,224
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2013
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	244,182											82,577				62,642				100,597				33,813				8,086				35,801				35,105
Other comprehensive income (loss)	30,773															963				684
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,332)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2013	9,502,451											1,697,240				1,384,909				2,902,823				936,826				204,831				876,822				873,574
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	835,250		0		14,656		0	0	820,594		0	120,355	0	0	120,355	138,178	0	138,178	0	251,866	0	251,866	0	45,939	0	0		28,600	0	0	28,600	71,309	0	0	71,309	77,280	0	77,280
Other comprehensive income (loss)	49,708		0		0		0	0	0		49,708					396	0	0	396	(876)	0	0	(876)
Partners' Capital Account, Contributions																				1,052	0	1,052	0
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(18,259)		0		0		(18,259)	0	0		0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	110,835		0		0		111,198	(363)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(446,309)		0		0		0	0	(446,309)		0					(122,373)	0	(122,373)	0	(228,212)	0	(228,212)	0	(25,000)	0	0	(25,000)	(3,000)			(3,000)	(40,000)	0	0	(40,000)	(77,977)	0	(77,977)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(14,656)	[1]	(14,656)	[1]	0	[1]	0	0	0		0	(5,155)	0	0	(5,155)	(621)	0	(621)	0	(5,232)	0	(5,232)	0	(2,121)	0	0	(2,121)	(724)	0	0	(724)
Other																(25)	0	(25)	0
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	10,243,035		94,000		2,548		(5,441,003)	5,367,768	10,199,338		20,384	1,834,918	470	588,471	1,245,977	1,476,532	10,000	1,494,338	(27,806)	2,994,250	100,000	2,904,761	(10,511)	970,395	199,326	(690)	771,759	231,159	33,744	36,294	161,121	918,336	49,452	481,994	386,890	875,410	789,350	86,060
Beginning Balance at Jun. 30, 2014
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	234,916											62,980				55,535				123,821				(6,464)				13,932				39,559				26,730
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(10,684)															137				(287)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,879)
Ending Balance at Sep. 30, 2014	$ 10,243,035											$ 1,834,918				$ 1,476,532				$ 2,994,250				$ 970,395				$ 231,159				$ 918,336				$ 875,410

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2014 and 2013 include $6.4 million and $6.6 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.