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Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]
The table below reflects the expected contributions to be made to the pension plans and postretirement benefit plan during 2018:
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
(in millions)
Expected minimum contribution to pension plans during 2018
$
67

 
$
—

 
$
—

Expected contribution to postretirement benefit plan in 2018
16

 
10

 
5


The table below reflects the contributions made to the pension plans and postretirement benefit plan during 2018:
 
 
Three Months Ended June 30, 2018
 
Six Months Ended June 30, 2018
 
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
 
(in millions)
Pension plans
 
$
2

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
64

 
$
—

 
$
—

Postretirement benefit plan
 
3

 
2

 
1

 
7

 
4

 
2

The Registrants’ net periodic cost, before considering amounts subject to overhead allocations for capital expenditure projects or for amounts subject to deferral for regulatory purposes, includes the following components relating to pension and postretirement benefits:

Pension Benefits (CenterPoint Energy)
 
 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
 
 
(in millions)
Service cost (1)
 
$
9

 
$
9

 
$
18

 
$
18

Interest cost (2)
 
19

 
22

 
39

 
44

Expected return on plan assets (2)
 
(26
)
 
(24
)
 
(53
)
 
(48
)
Amortization of prior service cost (2)
 
2

 
3

 
4

 
5

Amortization of net loss (2)
 
11

 
15

 
22

 
29

Net periodic cost
 
$
15

 
$
25

 
$
30

 
$
48


Postretirement Benefits
 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
(in millions)
Service cost (1)
$
1

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
1

 
$
—

 
$
—

Interest cost (2)
4

 
2

 
1

 
4

 
2

 
1

Expected return on plan assets (2)
(2
)
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
(1
)
 
—

Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
1

 
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
1

Net periodic cost
$
2

 
$
(1
)
 
$
1

 
$
2

 
$
—

 
$
2

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
CenterPoint Energy
 
Houston Electric
 
CERC
 
(in millions)
Service cost (1)
$
1

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
1

 
$
—

 
$
—

Interest cost (2)
7

 
4

 
2

 
8

 
4

 
2

Expected return on plan assets (2)
(3
)
 
(2
)
 
(1
)
 
(3
)
 
(2
)
 
—

Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)
(2
)
 
(3
)
 
1

 
(2
)
 
(2
)
 
1

Net periodic cost
$
3

 
$
(1
)
 
$
2

 
$
4

 
$
—

 
$
3



(1)
Included in Operation and maintenance expense in the Registrants’ Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income.

(2)
Included in Other, net in the Registrants’ Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income.
Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]
Changes in accumulated other comprehensive loss related to defined benefit and postretirement plans are as follows:

CenterPoint Energy
 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
2018
 
2017
 
2018
 
2017
 
(in millions)
Beginning Balance
$
(65
)
 
$
(71
)
 
$
(66
)
 
$
(72
)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive loss:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prior service cost (1)
1

 
1

 
1

 
1

Actuarial losses (1)
1

 
1

 
3

 
3

Tax expense
—

 
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(2
)
Net current period other comprehensive income
2

 
1

 
3

 
2

Ending Balance
$
(63
)
 
$
(70
)
 
$
(63
)
 
$
(70
)


(1)
These accumulated other comprehensive components are included in the computation of net periodic cost.