Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Financial Information
Interest and investment income										$ 187,062		$ 147,686		$ 199,300
Interest expense										643,469		627,507		604,037
Income taxes										(642,927)		589,597		225,981
Consolidated net income (loss)		$ 104,849	$ (718,233)	$ 153,722	$ 302,929	$ 125,006	$ 234,916	$ 194,281	$ 406,053	(156,734)	[1]	960,257	[1]	730,572	[1]
Total assets		44,647,681				46,414,455				44,647,681		46,414,455
Investment in affiliates - at equity		4,341				36,234				4,341		36,234		40,350		$ 46,738
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										2,104,906		179,752		341,537
Utility Plants [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										9,451,486		9,773,822		9,101,786
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										1,238,832		1,170,122		1,157,843
Interest and investment income										191,546		171,217		186,724
Interest expense										543,132		531,729		509,173
Income taxes										16,761		472,148		365,917
Consolidated net income (loss)										1,114,516		846,496		846,215
Total assets		38,356,906				38,186,286				38,356,906		38,186,286		35,429,568
Investment in affiliates - at equity		199				199				199		199		199
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										2,495,194		2,113,631		2,268,083
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										68,672		72,225		9,411
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues	[2]									2,061,827		2,719,404		2,312,758
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning	[2]									376,560		417,435		341,163
Interest and investment income	[2]									148,654		113,959		137,727
Interest expense	[2]									26,788		16,646		16,323
Income taxes	[2]									(610,339)		176,988		(77,471)
Consolidated net income (loss)	[2]									(1,065,657)		294,521		42,976
Total assets	[2]	8,210,183				10,279,500				8,210,183		10,279,500		9,696,705
Investment in affiliates - at equity	[2]	4,142				36,035				4,142		36,035		40,151
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions	[2]									569,824		615,021		626,322
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges	[2]									2,036,234		107,527		329,336
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										0		1,821		3,558
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										2,156		3,702		4,142
Interest and investment income										34,303		22,159		24,179
Interest expense										129,750		120,908		122,291
Income taxes										(49,349)		(59,539)		(62,465)
Consolidated net income (loss)										(74,353)		(62,887)		(53,039)
Total assets		(461,505)				(659,207)				(461,505)		(659,207)		(492,577)
Investment in affiliates - at equity		0				0				0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										236		87		49
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										0		0		2,790
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										(62)		(126)		(27,155)
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										0		0		0
Interest and investment income										(187,441)		(159,649)		(149,330)
Interest expense										(56,201)		(41,776)		(43,750)
Income taxes										0		0		0
Consolidated net income (loss)										(131,240)		(117,873)		(105,580)
Total assets		(1,457,903)				(1,392,124)				(1,457,903)		(1,392,124)		(1,343,406)
Investment in affiliates - at equity		0				0				0		0		0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										0		0		0
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										0		0		0
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										11,513,251		12,494,921		11,390,947
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning										1,617,548		1,591,259		1,503,148
Interest and investment income										187,062		147,686		199,300
Interest expense										643,469		627,507		604,037
Income taxes										(642,927)		589,597		225,981
Consolidated net income (loss)										(156,734)		960,257		730,572
Total assets		44,647,681				46,414,455				44,647,681		46,414,455		43,290,290
Investment in affiliates - at equity		$ 4,341				$ 36,234				4,341		36,234		40,350
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions										3,065,254		2,728,739		2,894,454
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges										$ 2,104,906		$ 179,752		$ 341,537

[1] (a) Consolidated net income and preferred dividend requirements of subsidiaries for 2015, 2014, and 2013 include $14.9 million, $12.9 million, and $12 million, respectively, of preferred dividends on subsidiaries’ preferred stock without sinking fund that is not presented as equity.

[2] Businesses marked with * are sometimes referred to as the “competitive businesses.” Eliminations are primarily intersegment activity. Almost all of Entergy’s goodwill is related to the Utility segment.