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, 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	[1]	4,879	[1]	0		0	0	401,174	[1]	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
Other comprehensive income (loss)	24,122		0		0		0	0	0		24,122					122	0	0	122	(302)	0	0	(302)
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	0
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	0	(148,275)		0					(33,317)	0	(33,317)	0	(43,434)	0	(43,434)	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	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
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	10,101,725		94,000		2,548		(5,497,526)	5,375,353	10,169,657		(42,307)	1,824,237	470	588,471	1,235,296	1,430,563	10,000	1,473,910	(53,347)	2,916,424	100,000	2,842,300	(25,876)	962,170	199,326	(690)	763,534	228,025	33,744	36,294	157,987	891,831	49,452	481,994	360,385	870,511	789,350	81,161
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Consolidated net income	302,929	[1]	0		4,879	[1]	0	0	298,050	[1]	0	17,865	0	0	17,865	53,845	0	53,845	0	72,264	0	72,264	0	24,935	0	0	24,935	11,054	0	0	11,054	16,591	0	0	16,591	25,533	0	25,533
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(17,430)		0		0		0	0	0		(17,430)					422	0	0	422	(42)	0	0	(42)
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock	(25,078)		0		0		(25,078)	0	0		0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	19,969		0		0		43,632	(23,663)	0		0
Common stock dividends declared	(149,257)		0		0		0	0	(149,257)		0																	(7,250)	0	0	(7,250)					(20,000)	0	(20,000)
Preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries	(4,879)	[1]	(4,879)	[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																(8)	0	(8)	0
Ending Balance at Mar. 31, 2015	$ 10,227,979		$ 94,000		$ 2,548		$ (5,478,972)	$ 5,351,690	$ 10,318,450		$ (59,737)	$ 1,840,384	$ 470	$ 588,471	$ 1,251,443	$ 1,484,616	$ 10,000	$ 1,527,541	$ (52,925)	$ 2,986,908	$ 100,000	$ 2,912,826	$ (25,918)	$ 986,398	$ 199,326	$ (690)	$ 787,762	$ 231,588	$ 33,744	$ 36,294	$ 161,550	$ 908,422	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 376,976	$ 876,044	$ 789,350	$ 86,694

[1] Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2015 and 2014 include $3.2 million and $3.2 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented within equity.