Retirement, Other Postretirement Benefits, And Defined Contribution Plans (Schedule Of Net Periodic Pension Cost) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	$ 18,699	$ 27,129	$ 26,915
Interest cost	47,901	50,725	55,838
Expected return on assets	(38,246)	(41,493)	(37,630)
Amortization of prior service credit	(35,377)	(37,002)	(41,425)
Recognized net loss	1,430	13,729	21,905
Net periodic pension costs	(5,593)	13,088	25,603
Prior service credit for period	0	0	(2,564)
Net loss	(38,526)	(274,354)	(66,922)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	35,377	37,002	41,425
Amortization of net loss	1,430	13,729	21,905
Total	(4,579)	(251,081)	(49,966)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(10,172)	(237,993)	(24,363)
Prior service cost	(17,563)	(35,377)	(37,002)
Net loss	800	1,430	13,729
Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	143,400	131,900
Amortization of prior service credit	58,800	51,900
Net periodic pension costs	22,600	24,400	37,600
Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	7,800,000	6,900,000
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	134,193	155,010	133,641
Interest cost	293,114	267,415	260,824
Expected return on assets	(414,947)	(442,142)	(408,225)
Amortization of prior service credit	0	398	261
Recognized net loss	241,117	274,104	227,720
Defined Benefit Plan, Benefit Obligation, (Increase) Decrease for Remeasurement due to Settlement	(23,492)	(828)	0
Net periodic pension costs	276,969	255,613	214,221
Net loss	614,600	394,951	368,067
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	0	(398)	(261)
Amortization of net loss	241,117	274,104	227,720
Total	349,991	119,621	140,086
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	626,960	375,234	354,307
Prior service cost	0	0	398
Net loss	349,038	233,677	274,104
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,363	3,170	3,451
Interest cost	7,226	7,986	9,020
Expected return on assets	(15,962)	(17,368)	(15,836)
Amortization of prior service credit	(4,950)	(5,110)	(5,110)
Recognized net loss	576	1,154	4,460
Net periodic pension costs	(10,747)	(10,168)	(4,015)
Net loss	(26,707)	(32,219)	(29,534)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	4,950	5,110	5,110
Amortization of net loss	576	1,154	4,460
Total	(22,333)	(28,263)	(28,884)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(33,080)	(38,431)	(32,899)
Prior service cost	(3,174)	(4,950)	(5,110)
Net loss	4	576	1,154
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	2,248	2,519
Net periodic pension costs	275	474	679
Entergy Arkansas [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,519,998	1,362,425
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	21,043	24,757	20,358
Interest cost	56,701	52,017	51,776
Expected return on assets	(80,705)	(87,404)	(81,707)
Recognized net loss	47,361	53,650	46,560
Net periodic pension costs	44,400	43,020	36,987
Net loss	118,898	74,570	51,569
Amortization of net loss	47,361	53,650	46,560
Total	71,537	20,920	5,009
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	115,937	63,940	41,996
Net loss	67,588	47,361	53,650
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	4,639	6,225	6,373
Interest cost	10,664	11,154	12,101
Expected return on assets	0	0	0
Amortization of prior service credit	(7,349)	(7,735)	(7,735)
Recognized net loss	(695)	1,550	1,859
Net periodic pension costs	7,259	11,194	12,598
Net loss	(2,220)	(73,249)	(1,256)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	7,349	7,735	7,735
Amortization of net loss	(695)	1,550	1,859
Total	5,824	(67,064)	4,620
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	13,083	(55,870)	17,218
Prior service cost	(3,142)	(7,349)	(7,735)
Net loss	(1,030)	(695)	1,550
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,682	1,881
Net periodic pension costs	159	180	185
Entergy Louisiana [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	1,643,759	1,481,158
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	29,137	33,783	27,698
Interest cost	63,529	59,761	59,235
Expected return on assets	(90,607)	(99,236)	(92,067)
Recognized net loss	46,571	57,800	49,417
Net periodic pension costs	48,630	52,108	44,283
Net loss	99,346	41,642	57,510
Amortization of net loss	46,571	57,800	49,417
Total	52,775	(16,158)	8,093
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	101,405	35,950	52,376
Net loss	66,509	46,571	57,800
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	1,046	1,284	1,160
Interest cost	2,681	2,731	2,759
Expected return on assets	(4,794)	(5,213)	(4,801)
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,756)	(1,823)	(1,823)
Recognized net loss	723	1,508	1,675
Net periodic pension costs	(2,100)	(1,513)	(1,030)
Net loss	(11,950)	(7,794)	506
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	1,756	1,823	1,823
Amortization of net loss	723	1,508	1,675
Total	(10,917)	(7,479)	654
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(13,017)	(8,992)	(376)
Prior service cost	(1,037)	(1,756)	(1,823)
Net loss	75	723	1,508
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	2,938	2,427
Net periodic pension costs	326	300	251
Entergy Mississippi [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	438,817	387,635
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	6,516	7,286	5,890
Interest cost	16,272	15,075	14,927
Expected return on assets	(23,873)	(26,007)	(24,526)
Recognized net loss	12,416	14,438	12,213
Net periodic pension costs	11,331	10,792	8,504
Net loss	41,088	19,244	14,681
Amortization of net loss	12,416	14,438	12,213
Total	28,672	4,806	2,468
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	40,003	15,598	10,972
Net loss	18,994	12,416	14,438
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	367	516	567
Interest cost	1,581	1,669	1,874
Expected return on assets	(4,947)	(5,250)	(4,635)
Amortization of prior service credit	(682)	(745)	(745)
Recognized net loss	231	137	418
Net periodic pension costs	(3,450)	(3,673)	(2,521)
Net loss	(10,967)	(981)	(7,342)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	682	745	745
Amortization of net loss	231	137	418
Total	(10,516)	(373)	(7,015)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(13,966)	(4,046)	(9,536)
Prior service cost	0	(682)	(745)
Net loss	(246)	231	137
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	230	206
Net periodic pension costs	20	81	73
Entergy New Orleans [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	192,561	179,907
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	2,274	2,693	2,500
Interest cost	7,495	7,253	7,163
Expected return on assets	(10,785)	(11,973)	(11,199)
Recognized net loss	6,117	7,816	6,632
Net periodic pension costs	5,101	5,789	5,096
Net loss	6,531	2,351	8,601
Amortization of net loss	6,117	7,816	6,632
Total	414	(5,465)	1,969
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	5,515	324	7,065
Net loss	8,018	6,117	7,816
Entergy Texas [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	943	1,319	1,488
Interest cost	3,415	3,754	4,494
Expected return on assets	(9,103)	(9,784)	(8,720)
Amortization of prior service credit	(2,243)	(2,316)	(2,316)
Recognized net loss	485	823	3,303
Net periodic pension costs	(6,503)	(6,204)	(1,751)
Net loss	(6,406)	(10,561)	(22,255)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	2,243	2,316	2,316
Amortization of net loss	485	823	3,303
Total	(4,648)	(9,068)	(23,242)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(11,151)	(15,272)	(24,993)
Prior service cost	(1,421)	(2,243)	(2,316)
Net loss	810	485	823
Entergy Texas [Member] | Non-Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	7,391	7,724
Net periodic pension costs	481	650	499
Entergy Texas [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	371,589	347,852
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	5,401	6,356	5,455
Interest cost	14,451	13,390	13,569
Expected return on assets	(23,447)	(26,091)	(24,722)
Recognized net loss	9,335	10,503	9,241
Net periodic pension costs	5,740	4,158	3,543
Net loss	10,869	24,121	1,109
Amortization of net loss	9,335	10,503	9,241
Total	1,534	13,618	(8,132)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	7,274	17,776	(4,589)
Net loss	13,060	9,335	10,503
System Energy [Member] | Other Postretirement Benefits Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	973	1,223	1,278
Interest cost	1,902	1,998	2,236
Expected return on assets	(2,788)	(3,130)	(2,869)
Amortization of prior service credit	(1,450)	(1,513)	(1,513)
Recognized net loss	354	932	1,560
Net periodic pension costs	(1,009)	(490)	692
Net loss	(5,539)	(6,680)	(5,459)
Amortization of prior service cost/(credit)	1,450	1,513	1,513
Amortization of net loss	354	932	1,560
Total	(4,443)	(6,099)	(5,506)
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	(5,452)	(6,589)	(4,814)
Prior service cost	(747)	(1,450)	(1,513)
Net loss	51	354	932
System Energy [Member] | Qualified Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Accumulated pension benefit obligation	368,771	317,848
Service cost - benefits earned during the period	6,199	7,102	6,145
Interest cost	13,456	12,907	12,364
Expected return on assets	(18,710)	(19,963)	(18,650)
Recognized net loss	11,400	14,859	11,857
Net periodic pension costs	12,345	14,905	11,716
Net loss	36,711	(2,359)	27,733
Amortization of net loss	11,400	14,859	11,857
Total	25,311	(17,218)	15,876
Total recognized as net periodic benefit cost, regulatory asset, and/or AOCI (before tax)	37,656	(2,313)	27,592
Net loss	$ 17,117	$ 11,400	$ 14,859