Quarterly Financial Data (Narrative) (Details)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) MW	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Oct. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges												$ 2,104,906,000	$ 123,527,000	$ 341,537,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Gross															$ 334,000,000
Regulatory Liabilities															$ 107,000,000
Gain on sale of asset / business												154,037,000	0	43,569,000
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator	$ 77,000,000
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator, Net of Tax	47,000,000
Restructuring costs incurred, net of tax													12,000,000	70,000,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Regulatory Liabilities	$ 68,300,000		$ 68,300,000				$ 82,600,000					68,300,000	82,600,000
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator			45,000,000
Increase in Operating Revenues as a result of the Business Combination				$ 488,543	$ 406,974	$ 429,097	417,916	$ 550,847	$ 495,020	$ 450,840
Increase in Operating Income as a result of the Business Combination				100,753	65,901	79,389	43,766	96,698	70,350	82,576
Increase in Net Income as a result of the Business Combination				68,140	33,963	53,845	24,313	55,535	36,171	46,472
Increase in Earnings Applicable to Common Equity as a result of the Business Combination				67,970	33,757	53,639	24,107	55,329	35,962	46,266
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Write-Off Of Regulatory Asset For New Nuclear								61,000,000				$ 0	56,225,000	0
Write-Off Of Regulatory Asset For New Nuclear, After Tax								40,000,000
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase in Operating Revenues as a result of the Algiers Transfer					10,258	9,726	9,924	15,553	10,331	9,299
Increase in Operating Income as a result of the Algiers Transfer					1,504	1,177	856	3,530	559	541
Increase in Net Income as a result of the Algiers Transfer					393	238	291	2,018	32	(18)
Increase in Earnings Applicable to Common Equity as a result of the Algiers Transfer					$ 393	$ 238	$ 290	2,018	$ 32	$ (18)
Human Capital Management Strategic Initiative [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs, deferred recovery, pre-tax		$ 45,000,000
Restructuring costs, deferred recovery, net of tax		$ 30,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs incurred, net of tax													$ 3,000,000	$ 15,000,000
Fitzpatrick And Pilgrim [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges				1,642,000,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax				$ 1,062,000,000
Palisades [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges			396,000,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax			$ 256,000,000
Rhode Island State Energy Center [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Capacity Of Power Plant Unit | MW	583
Gain on sale of asset / business	$ 154,000,000
Realized Investment Gains (Losses), Net of Tax	$ 100,000,000
Vermont Yankee [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges								113,000,000
After tax asset impairment charge								$ 74,000,000
Vermont Yankee [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges											$ 291,500,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax											$ 183,700,000