Commitments and Contingencies Commitments And Contingencies (Narrative) (Details) (Details)	1 Months Ended				6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) MW	May 31, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) MW	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Other Receivables	$ 237,480,000			$ 178,364,000	$ 237,480,000		$ 178,364,000
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Other Receivables	7,436,000			8,276,000	7,436,000		8,276,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Expected NRC inspection costs excluding remediation and response costs					30,600,000
Incremental NRC Inspection Costs							53,000,000
Other Receivables	82,046,000			84,216,000	82,046,000		84,216,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Expected NRC inspection costs excluding remediation and response costs						$ 50,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Incremental NRC Inspection Costs					12,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Expected NRC inspection costs	45,000,000				45,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Expected NRC inspection costs	60,000,000				60,000,000
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member] | Subsequent Event [Member] | Pilgrim [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Expected NRC inspection costs						$ 30,000,000
Indian Point 3 and FitzPatrick [Domain]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Litigation Settlement, Amount				81,000,000
Indian Point 3 [Domain]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs				45,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance				2,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense				8,000,000
Plant balance reduction				37,000,000
Fitzpatrick [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs				32,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance				2,000,000
Plant balance reduction				11,000,000
Carrying Value of Nuclear Plant				0			0
Reduction to operation and maintenance expense				21,000,000
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Litigation Settlement, Amount			$ 42,000,000
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs	17,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance	2,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense	3,000,000
Plant balance reduction	14,000,000
Receivable Related to Litigation Settlement	42,000,000				42,000,000
Other Receivables	112,044,000			$ 56,793,000	$ 112,044,000		$ 56,793,000
Previously recorded nuclear fuel expense	$ 23,000,000
Vermont Yankee [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Litigation Settlement, Amount		$ 19,000,000
Damages awarded for previously capitalized costs		15,000,000
Damages awarded for previously recorded operation and maintenance		4,000,000
Reduction of previously recorded deprecation expense		2,000,000
Reduction to operation and maintenance expense		$ 13,000,000
Pilgrim [Member]
Regulatory Assets [Line Items]
Capacity Supply Obligations in ISO New England | MW	677				677