Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,427,179	$ 2,609,584
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(71,194)	42,771
Consolidated net income	123,294	258,646
Assets	52,555,029		$ 51,723,912
Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,094,629	2,175,982
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(52,949)	(11,564)
Consolidated net income	323,849	234,147
Assets	50,421,661		49,557,664
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	332,549	433,612
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(30,540)	65,908
Consolidated net income	(110,428)	97,079
Assets	3,921,539		4,154,961
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	11	0
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	12,295	(11,573)
Consolidated net income	(58,228)	(40,682)
Assets	697,784		514,020
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	(10)	(10)
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	0	0
Consolidated net income	(31,899)	$ (31,898)
Assets	$ (2,485,955)		$ (2,502,733)