Business Segment Information (Segment Financial Information) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	$ 2,412,788		$ 2,666,209		$ 4,839,967	$ 5,275,792
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	89,115		1,458		17,921	44,229
Consolidated net income	365,113	$ 123,294	240,533	$ 258,646	488,406	499,180
Assets	53,365,302				53,365,302		$ 51,723,912
Utility [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	2,213,061		2,376,437		4,307,690	4,552,419
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	73,710		21,150		20,761	9,586
Consolidated net income	348,902		334,752		672,751	568,900
Assets	51,205,266				51,205,266		49,557,664
Entergy Wholesale Commodities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	199,709		289,783		532,258	723,394
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	24,467		(9,290)		(6,073)	56,618
Consolidated net income	85,178		(25,382)		(25,251)	71,697
Assets	3,658,974				3,658,974		4,154,961
All Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	18		2		29	2
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	(9,062)		(10,402)		3,233	(21,975)
Consolidated net income	(37,069)		(36,939)		(95,298)	(77,620)
Assets	493,119				493,119		514,020
Eliminations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue from Contract with Customer, Excluding Assessed Tax	0		(13)		(10)	(23)
Segment Financial Information
Income taxes (benefits)	0		0		0	0
Consolidated net income	(31,898)		$ (31,898)		(63,796)	$ (63,797)
Assets	$ (1,992,057)				$ (1,992,057)		$ (2,502,733)