Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy New Orleans [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Subsidiaries' Preferred Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	$ 8,081,809	$ 0	$ 2,548	$ (5,498,584)	$ 5,417,245	$ 8,195,571	$ (34,971)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								$ 2,253,317	$ 5,081,809	$ 5,130,251	$ (48,442)	$ 1,094,791	$ 426,946	$ 1,068,994	$ 0	$ 49,452	$ 481,994	$ 537,548	$ 738,823	$ 679,350	$ 59,473
Consolidated net income	425,353	13,741	0	0	0		0	139,844	316,347	316,347	0	110,032	44,553	76,173	0	0	0	76,173	78,596	0	78,596
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	411,612					411,612
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								0				0	20,000	115,000	0	0	115,000	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	11,440	0	0	0	0	0	11,440		2,042	0	2,042
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(20,599)							0				0	(20,599)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	117,135	0	0	100,947	16,188	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(628,885)	0	0	0	0	(628,885)	0	(15,000)	(91,250)	(91,250)	0	(26,000)	(74,250)						(106,610)	(21,000)	(85,610)
Preferred Stock Redemptions	596	0	0	0	0	596	0
Other								21	(144)	(144)	0		(860)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(13,741)	(13,741)	0	0	0	0	0	(1,428)				(953)	(841)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	7,992,515	0	2,548	(5,397,637)	5,433,433	7,977,702	(23,531)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest								2,376,754	5,308,804	5,355,204	(46,400)	1,177,870	415,548	1,260,167	0	49,452	596,994	613,721	710,809	658,350	52,459
Consolidated net income	862,555	13,894	0	0	0		0	252,707	675,614	675,614	0	126,078	53,152	162,235	0	0	0	162,235	94,109	0	94,109
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	848,661					848,661
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								350,000				0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	83,470	0	0	0	0	0	83,470		50,296	0	50,296
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	500,000	0	68	0	499,932	0	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(728)	0	0	0	(728)	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(53,868)							(32,660)				(21,208)	0
Noncash Capital Contribution from Parent								94,335
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	142,712	0	0	123,918	18,794	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(647,704)	0	0	0	0	(647,704)	0	(91,751)	(128,000)	(128,000)	0	(10,000)	(23,750)						(67,720)	(56,500)	(11,220)
Preferred Stock Redemptions	1,723	0	0	0	0	1,723	0
Other								2,307	(9)	(9)	0	(888)
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(13,894)	(13,894)	0	0	0	0	0	(1,249)				(834)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Reclassification from AOCI to Retained Earnings, Tax Effect	(16,538)	0	0	0	0	32,043	(15,505)		(3,787)	6,262	(10,049)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	8,844,305	0	2,616	(5,273,719)	5,951,431	8,721,150	(557,173)							1,422,402
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	8,844,305							2,983,103	5,902,918	5,909,071	(6,153)	1,292,226	444,950	1,422,402	0	49,452	596,994	775,956	737,198	601,850	135,348
Consolidated net income	1,258,244	17,018	0	0	0		0	262,964	691,537	691,537	0	119,925	52,629	159,397	0	0	0	159,397	99,120	0	99,120
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	1,241,226					1,241,226
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								0				130,000	0	185,000	0	0	185,000	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	117,059	0	0	0	0	0	117,059		10,715	0	10,715
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues	607,650	0	84	0	607,566	0	0							33,188	35,000	0	(1,812)	0
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Stock Issued, Issuance Costs	(7)	0	0	0	(7)	0	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(50,000)							0				0	0
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	125,015	0	0	119,569	5,446	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(711,573)	0	0	0	0	(711,573)	0	(115,000)	(208,000)	(208,000)	0								(124,250)	0	(124,250)
Preferred Stock Redemptions	35,000	35,000	0	0	0	0	0
Other								(5,130)	(52)	(52)	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	(17,018)	(17,018)	0	0	0	0	0							(580)	0	0	0	(580)
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Parent	10,223,675	$ 35,000	$ 2,700	$ (5,154,150)	$ 6,564,436	$ 9,257,609	$ (446,920)							1,764,407
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,258,675							$ 3,125,937	$ 6,397,118	$ 6,392,556	$ 4,562	$ 1,542,151	$ 497,579	$ 1,799,407	$ 35,000	$ 49,452	$ 780,182	$ 934,773	$ 712,068	$ 601,850	$ 110,218