Employee Benefit Plans Employee Benefit Plans

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

Employee Benefit Plans

CERC’s employees participate in CenterPoint Energy’s postretirement benefit plan. CERC’s net periodic cost includes the following components relating to postretirement benefits:

	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	June 30,				June 30,
	2014		2013		2014		2013
	(in millions)
Interest cost on accumulated benefit obligation	$	2	$	1	3		2
Amortization of prior service cost	—		—		—		1
Amortization of loss	—		1		—		1
Net periodic cost	$	2	$	2	$	3	$	4

CERC expects to contribute approximately $7 million to its postretirement benefit plan in 2014, of which $1 million and $3 million was contributed during the three and six months ended June 30, 2014, respectively.