Leases (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Leases [Abstract]

Lease, Cost [Table Text Block]

The components of lease cost, included in Operation and maintenance expense on the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, are as follows:

		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2019
		CenterPoint Energy		Houston Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
Operating lease cost		$	4	$	—	$	1
Short-term lease cost		5		2		—
Total lease cost		$	9	$	2	$	1

Supplemental Balance Sheet Information Related To Leases [Table Text Block]

Supplemental balance sheet information related to leases was as follows:

	March 31, 2019
	CenterPoint Energy			Houston Electric			CERC
	(in millions, except lease term and discount rate)
Assets:
Operating ROU assets (1)	$	67		$	1		$	26
Total leased assets	$	67		$	1		$	26
Liabilities:
Current operating lease liability (2)	$	18		$	—		$	4
Non-current operating lease liability (3)	49			1			22
Total leased liabilities	$	67		$	1		$	26
Weighted-average remaining lease term (in years) - operating leases	5.6			5.6			8.2
Weighted-average discount rate - operating leases	3.45		%	3.50		%	3.67		%

(1) Reported within Other assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(2) Reported within Current other liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(3) Reported within Other liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Lessee, Operating Lease, Liability, Maturity [Table Text Block]

As of March 31, 2019, maturities of operating lease liabilities were as follows:

	CenterPoint Energy		Houston  Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
Remaining nine months of 2019	$	19	$	1	$	4
2020	18		—		5
2021	12		—		4
2022	7		—		4
2023	6		—		3
2024	3		—		2
2025 and beyond	9		—		9
Total lease payments	74		1		31
Less: Interest	7		—		5
Present value of lease liabilities	$	67	$	1	$	26

Schedule of Future Minimum Rental Payments for Operating Leases [Table Text Block]

The following table sets forth information concerning the Registrants’ obligations under non-cancelable long-term operating leases as of December 31, 2018:    

	CenterPoint Energy		Houston  Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
2019	$	6	$	1	$	5
2020	6		—		5
2021	5		—		4
2022	4		—		4
2023	3		—		3
2024 and beyond	12		—		11
Total (1)	$	36	$	1	$	32

(1) The Merger was completed on February 1, 2019. As such, these amounts are exclusive of Vectren’s leases.

Lessor, Operating Lease, Payments to be Received, Maturity [Table Text Block]

As of March 31, 2019, maturities of undiscounted operating lease payments to be received are as follows:

	CenterPoint Energy		Houston  Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
Remaining nine months of 2019	$	3	$	—	$	—
2020	1		1		—
2021	2		—		—
2022	2		—		—
2023	2		—		—
2024	2		—		—
2025 and beyond	10		—		—
Total lease payments to be received	$	22	$	1	$	—

Other Information Related To Leases [Table Text Block]

Other information related to leases is as follows:

		Three Months Ended March 31,
		2019
		CenterPoint Energy		Houston Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
Operating cash flows from operating leases included in the measurement of lease liabilities		$	5	$	1	$	1