Consolidated Statements Of Changes In Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Paid In Capital [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	Common Stock [Member]	Treasury Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Subsidiaries Preferred Stock [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Paid In Capital [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	Entergy Texas [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Entergy Mississippi [Member]	Entergy Arkansas [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Member's Equity [Member]	Entergy Louisiana [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]	System Energy [Member]	System Energy [Member] Retained Earnings [Member]	System Energy [Member] Common Stock [Member]
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 8,844,305	$ 0	$ 5,951,431	$ 8,721,150	$ (557,173)	$ 2,616	$ (5,273,719)	$ 1,422,402	$ 0	$ 596,994	$ 775,956	$ 49,452	$ 1,292,226	$ 2,983,103	$ 5,902,918	$ 5,909,071	$ (6,153)	$ 737,198	$ 135,348	$ 601,850
Consolidated net income	258,646	4,109	0	254,537	0	0	0	21,342	0	0	21,342	0	15,398	39,121	127,633	127,633	0	23,578	23,578	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(172,591)	0	0	(172,591)	0	0	0								(49,000)	(49,000)	0	(45,500)	(45,500)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	4,109							0
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,109)	(4,109)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	12,827	0	0	0	12,827	0	0								(969)	0	(969)
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(31,289)	0	31,248	0	0	0	(62,537)
Other															(11)	(11)	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	50,000
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	8,970,367	0	5,920,183	8,809,902	(551,152)	2,616	(5,211,182)	1,443,744	0	596,994	797,298	49,452	1,307,624	3,022,224	5,980,571	5,987,693	(7,122)	715,276	113,426	601,850
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	10,258,675	35,000	6,564,436	9,257,609	(446,920)	2,700	(5,154,150)	1,799,407	35,000	780,182	934,773	49,452	1,542,151	3,125,937	6,397,118	6,392,556	4,562	712,068	110,218	601,850
Consolidated net income	123,294	4,580	0	118,714	0	0	0	32,707	0	0	32,707	0	22,526	44,595	189,396	189,396	0	28,513	28,513	0
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent								175,000	0	175,000	0	0
Dividends, Common Stock, Cash	(185,763)	0	0	(185,763)	0	0	0						(2,500)		(11,500)	(11,500)	0	(13,653)	(13,653)	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Preferred Unit Holders	4,580	4,580	0	0	0	0	0	470
Payments of Ordinary Dividends, Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	(4,763)							(653)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	47,933	0	0	0	47,933	0	0								9,467	0	9,467
Common stock issuances related to stock plans	(19,827)	0	53,753	0	0	0	(73,580)
Other															(10)	(10)	0
Payments for Repurchase of Preferred Stock and Preference Stock	0
Dividends, Preferred Stock, Cash	4,100							470	0	0	470	0
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 10,258,967	$ 35,000	$ 6,510,683	$ 9,190,141	$ (398,987)	$ 2,700	$ (5,080,570)	$ 2,006,644	$ 35,000	$ 955,182	$ 967,010	$ 49,452	$ 1,562,177	$ 3,170,532	$ 6,584,471	$ 6,570,442	$ 14,029	$ 726,928	$ 125,078	$ 601,850