Quarterly Financial Data (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2018	Aug. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges						$ 226,678	$ 491,739	$ 357,251
Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation, at Federal Statutory Income Tax Rate, Percent	21.00%						35.00%	35.00%
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities						(14,781)	$ (803,323)	$ 2,915,795
Asset Impairment Charges						290,027	532,321	538,372
After-Tax Asset Impairment Charge			$ 4,200
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities						(35,881)	(125,185)	605,453
Regulatory Liabilities				$ 18,800		2,400	18,800
Write-Off of Waterford 3 Replacement Steam Generator					$ 45,000
Tax benefit resulting from settlement of IRS audit							52,000
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities						39,293	(341,682)	1,043,507
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities						(21,524)	(131,856)	405,395
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Increase (Decrease) in Regulatory Liabilities						(22,105)	(28,459)	110,147
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reduction in income tax expense due to internal restructuring						156,000
Asset impairment excluding loss from sale of assets						100,000
Asset Write-Offs, Impairments, And Related Charges						290,000	532,000	$ 538,000
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Held-For-Use, Net of Tax						$ 79,000	421,000
Reduction in income tax expense resulting from restructuring of investment holdings							107,000
Reduction in income tax expense resulting from state income tax audit							23,000
Utility [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Reduction to income tax expense resulting from customer credits due to internal restructuring							170,000
Regulatory liability resulting from customer credits recognized as a result of internal restructuring				40,000			40,000
Regulatory liability resulting from customer credits recognized as a result of internal restructuring, net of tax				30,000			$ 30,000
Vermont Yankee [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges				$ 173,000
Pilgrim [Member] | Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Gain (Loss) on Disposition of Property Plant Equipment, Excluding Oil and Gas Property and Timber Property		$ 190,000
Gain (Loss) on Sale of Properties, Net of Applicable Income Taxes		$ 156,000