Revolving Credit Facilities, Lines Of Credit And Short-Term Borrowings (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Short-term borrowings		$ 1,946,727	$ 1,942,339
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		3,500,000
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		$ 20,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage		0.225%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 440,000
Consolidated debt ratio		65.00%
Commercial Paper program limit		$ 2,000,000
Commercial Paper Amount Outstanding		$ 1,947,000
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization		70.00%
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage			3.34%
Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio		65.00%
Letters of credit posted to cover derivative exposure		$ 200
Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		$ 10,000
Consolidated debt ratio		65.00%
Entergy Nuclear Vermont Yankee [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 139,000
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage		0.20%
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 139,000
Debt, weighted average interest rate		3.93%
System Energy [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization		70.00%
Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		$ 5,000
Consolidated debt ratio		65.00%
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization		70.00%
Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		$ 30,000
Consolidated debt ratio		65.00%
Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of total borrowing capacity against which fronting commitments exist		$ 15,000
Consolidated debt ratio		65.00%
Consolidated debt ratio of lessees total capitalization		70.00%
Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 49,900
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount		0.10%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 16, 2021
Entergy Louisiana River Bend VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 70,300
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount		0.10%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 16, 2021
System Energy VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 31,600
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount		0.10%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 16, 2021
Entergy Arkansas VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		$ 15,100
Line of credit facility commitment fee as a percentage of undrawn commitment amount		0.10%
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 16, 2021
Credit Facility [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate		3.77%
Commercial Paper Program [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt, weighted average interest rate		2.71%
Three Point Nine Two Percent Series H Dues February Two Thousand Twenty One [Member] | Entergy Louisiana Waterford VIE [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Notes payable noncurrent amount		$ 40,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage		3.92%
Maximum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage		0.225%
Minimum [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, commitment fee percentage		0.075%
Credit Facility Of Thirty Seven Point Five Million [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 37,500
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		0
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	May 31, 2020
Credit Facility Of Thirty Five Million [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		35,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		0
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	May 31, 2020
Credit Facility Of Ten Million [Member] | Entergy Mississippi [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		10,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		0
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	May 31, 2020
Credit Facility Of Twenty Five Million [Member] | Entergy New Orleans [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		25,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		20,000
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		800
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Nov. 20, 2021
Credit Facility Of Twenty Million [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		20,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		0
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Apr. 30, 2020
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Arkansas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		150,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		0
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 14, 2024
Credit Facility Of One Hundred And Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Texas [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		150,000
Amount Drawn/ Outstanding		0
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount		$ 1,300
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 14, 2024
Credit Facility Of Three Hundred Fifty Million [Member] | Entergy Louisiana [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date	Sep. 14, 2024