Income Taxes (Significant Components Of Accumulated Deferred Income Taxes And Taxes Accrued) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Oct. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Plant basis differences - net	$ (6,804,225)		$ (8,128,096)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(646,392)		(922,161)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(1,254,463)		(1,248,737)
Pension, net funding	(365,111)		(324,881)
Combined unitary state taxes	(45,078)		(162,340)
Power purchase agreements	0		(110,889)
Other	(315,844)		(500,424)
Total	(9,431,113)		(11,397,528)
Regulatory liabilities	284,432		458,230
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	828,983		874,493
Pension and other post-employment benefits	525,524		586,455
Sale and leaseback	139,720		153,308
Compensation	69,432		74,692
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	95,248		100,442
Provision for allowances and contingencies	188,282		160,551
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	38,401		0
Net operating loss carryforwards	360,188		457,758
Capital losses and miscellaneous tax credits	11,075		12,146
Valuation allowance	(91,532)		(27,387)
Other	68,204	$ 334,000	58,334
Total	2,517,957		2,909,022
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(1,338,806)		(606,560)
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(8,251,962)		(9,095,066)
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(1,710,444)		(1,657,503)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(108,422)		(198,662)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(121,326)		(130,524)
Pension, net funding	(107,073)		(93,355)
Power purchase agreements			(17,073)
Deferred fuel	(7,647)		(82,050)
Other	(38,683)		(33,827)
Total	(2,093,595)		(2,212,994)
Regulatory liabilities	18,369		145,466
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	109,962		(43,134)
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(20,420)		(17,534)
Sale and leaseback	0
Compensation	1,842		2,085
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	14,320		14,791
Provision for allowances and contingencies	1,024		(7,149)
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	(1,279)
Net operating loss carryforwards	0		105,063
Other	128		258
Total	133,761		212,168
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(22,978)		9,367
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(1,982,812)		(1,991,459)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	9,815		12,322
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits			0
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(2,041,968)		(2,748,852)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(254,316)		(380,719)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(99,980)		(106,162)
Pension, net funding	(109,709)		(99,593)
Power purchase agreements			(67,083)
Deferred fuel	(2,513)		(3,534)
Other	(86,275)		(84,282)
Total	(2,594,761)		(3,490,225)
Regulatory liabilities	215,154		181,601
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	49,333		146,138
Pension and other post-employment benefits	149,680		158,661
Sale and leaseback	37,236		45,136
Compensation	4,182		158
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	56,635		58,863
Provision for allowances and contingencies	123,007		125,805
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	13,840
Net operating loss carryforwards	90,241		241,803
Other	21,982		15,508
Total	728,925		948,657
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(641,120)		(412,508)
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(2,506,956)		(2,954,076)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	(32,365)		(25,016)
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits			0
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(781,427)		(753,576)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(24,918)		(30,114)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0		0
Pension, net funding	(30,901)		(27,861)
Power purchase agreements			2,129
Deferred fuel	(684)		(5,303)
Other	(5,625)		(11,423)
Total	(843,555)		(826,148)
Regulatory liabilities	7,787		7,214
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	0		0
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(6,628)		(7,288)
Sale and leaseback	0		0
Compensation	601		(846)
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	1,777		2,436
Provision for allowances and contingencies	18,735		19,590
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	1,901
Net operating loss carryforwards	0		0
Other	1,995		5,887
Total	33,322		43,453
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(402)		(12,481)
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(810,635)		(795,176)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	7,154		12,956
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits			3,504
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(167,294)		(186,153)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(39,451)		0
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0		0
Pension, net funding	(14,459)		(13,285)
Power purchase agreements			13
Deferred fuel	(175)		(407)
Other	(12,253)		(11,500)
Total	(233,632)		(211,332)
Regulatory liabilities	20,888		29,580
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	0		0
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(8,939)		(7,504)
Sale and leaseback	0		0
Compensation	880		475
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	290		332
Provision for allowances and contingencies	33,843		10,986
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	13
Net operating loss carryforwards	0		0
Other	316		2,891
Total	49,417		40,155
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(29,846)		(19,502)
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(214,061)		(190,679)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	2,126		3,395
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits			0
Entergy Texas [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(778,270)		(771,135)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(172,117)		(202,402)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	0		0
Pension, net funding	(28,001)		(25,616)
Power purchase agreements			847
Deferred fuel	2,050		2,045
Other	(10,109)		(22,546)
Total	(986,447)		(1,018,807)
Regulatory liabilities	7,307		4,079
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	0		0
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(16,703)		(15,053)
Sale and leaseback	0		0
Compensation	4,496		4,155
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	4,842		5,158
Provision for allowances and contingencies	7,266		8,017
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	575
Net operating loss carryforwards	0		0
Other	1,672		3,850
Total	20,306		21,779
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(40,693)		(48,921)
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(1,006,834)		(1,045,949)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	10,851		11,573
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits			0
System Energy [Member]
Plant basis differences - net	(611,745)		(668,779)
Regulatory assets for income taxes - net	(46,990)		(110,087)
Nuclear decommissioning trusts	(68,370)		(74,063)
Pension, net funding	(25,791)		(23,440)
Power purchase agreements			0
Deferred fuel	(18)		(120)
Other	(22,478)		(19,802)
Total	(775,392)		(896,291)
Regulatory liabilities	14,927		90,290
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Restructuring Charges	39,420		(62,571)
Pension and other post-employment benefits	(1,037)		(1,413)
Sale and leaseback	102,484		108,172
Compensation	0		0
Accumulated deferred investment tax credit	17,385		18,862
Provision for allowances and contingencies	134		133
Deferred Tax Assets, Power Purchase Arrangements	0
Net operating loss carryforwards	0		0
Other	0		2,000
Total	173,313		155,473
Noncurrent accrued taxes (including unrecognized tax benefits)	(416,996)		(81,528)
Accumulated deferred income taxes and taxes accrued	(1,019,075)		(822,346)
Deferred Tax Assets, Deferred Income	$ 0		0
Deferred Tax Assets, Capital Losses and Miscellaneous Tax Credits			0
Other Federal [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Sale and leaseback			$ 0