Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Segment Financial Information
Interest expense									$ 742,425	$ 707,348	$ 662,343
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(169,825)	(1,036,826)	542,570
Consolidated net income	$ 389,606	$ 369,459	$ 240,533	$ 258,646	$ (62,323)	$ 539,818	$ 248,860	$ 136,200	1,258,244	862,555	425,353
Total assets	51,723,912				48,275,066				51,723,912	48,275,066
Utility [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues										9,540,670	9,417,866
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									1,493,167	1,367,944	1,345,906
Interest and investment income									289,570	203,936	218,317
Interest expense									589,395	552,919	547,301
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									19,634	(732,548)	794,616
Consolidated net income									1,425,643	1,495,061	773,148
Total assets	49,557,664				44,777,167				49,557,664	44,777,167	42,978,669
Investment in affiliates - at equity											198
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									4,527,045	3,987,424	3,680,513
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									0	0	0
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									1,294,719	1,468,905	1,656,730
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									384,707	388,732	448,079
Interest and investment income									414,636	14,543	224,121
Interest expense									29,450	33,694	23,714
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(161,295)	(269,025)	(146,480)
Consolidated net income									148,870	(340,641)	(172,335)
Total assets	4,154,961				5,459,275				4,154,961	5,459,275	5,638,009
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									104,300	283,707	320,667
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									290,027	532,321	538,372
All Other [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									21	0	0
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									2,944	1,274	1,678
Interest and investment income									26,295	31,602	21,669
Interest expense									178,575	179,358	139,619
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(28,164)	(35,253)	(105,566)
Consolidated net income									(188,675)	(164,271)	(47,840)
Total assets	514,020				733,366				514,020	733,366	1,011,612
Investment in affiliates - at equity											0
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									160	86	438
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									0	0	0
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Financial Information
Operating revenues									(52)	(123)	(115)
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									0	0	0
Interest and investment income									(182,589)	(186,217)	(175,910)
Interest expense									(54,995)	(58,623)	(48,291)
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									0	0	0
Consolidated net income									(127,594)	(127,594)	(127,620)
Total assets	(2,502,733)				$ (2,694,742)				(2,502,733)	(2,694,742)	(2,921,141)
Investment in affiliates - at equity											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									10,878,673		11,074,481
Depreciation, amortization, & decommissioning									1,880,818		1,795,663
Interest and investment income									547,912		288,197
Interest expense									742,425		662,343
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)									(169,825)		542,570
Consolidated net income									1,258,244		425,353
Total assets	$ 51,723,912								51,723,912		46,707,149
Investment in affiliates - at equity											198
Cash paid for long-lived asset additions									4,631,505		4,001,618
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges									$ 290,027		$ 538,372