Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]

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 March 31,
		2020			2019
	(in millions)
Service cost (1)		$	10		$	10
Interest cost (2)		19			23
Expected return on plan assets (2)		(28		)	(25		)
Amortization of prior service cost (2)		—			2
Amortization of net loss (2)		10			13
Curtailment gain (2) (3)		—			(1		)
Net periodic cost		$	11		$	22

(1) Amounts presented in the table above are included in Operation and maintenance expense in each of the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of amounts capitalized and regulatory deferrals.

(2) Amounts presented in the table above are included in Other income (expense), net in each of the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of regulatory deferrals.

(3) A curtailment gain or loss is required when the expected future services of a significant number of employees are reduced or eliminated for the accrual of benefits. In February 2019, CenterPoint Energy recognized a pension curtailment gain of $1 million related to Vectren employees whose employment was terminated after the Merger closed.

Postretirement Benefits

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2020								2019
	CenterPoint Energy			Houston Electric			CERC		CenterPoint Energy			Houston Electric			CERC
	(in millions)
Service cost (1)	$	—		$	—		$	—	$	1		$	—		$	—
Interest cost (2)	3			1			1		4			2			1
Expected return on plan assets (2)	(1		)	(1		)	—		(2		)	(1		)	—
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)	(1		)	(1		)	—		(1		)	(1		)	—
Net periodic cost (income)	$	1		$	(1	)	$	1	$	2		$	—		$	1

(1) Amounts presented in the tables above are included in Operation and maintenance expense in each of the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of amounts capitalized and regulatory deferrals.

(2) Amounts presented in the tables above are included in Other income (expense), net in each of the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of regulatory deferrals.

Benefit Plan Contributions [Table Text Block]

The table below reflects the expected contributions to be made to the pension and postretirement benefit plans during 2020:

	CenterPoint Energy		Houston Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
Expected minimum contribution to pension plans during 2020	$	83	$	—	$	—
Expected contribution to postretirement benefit plans in 2020	17		10		4

The table below reflects the contributions made to the pension and postretirement benefit plans during 2020:

		Three Months Ended March 31, 2020
		CenterPoint Energy		Houston Electric		CERC
	(in millions)
Pension plans		$	2	$	—	$	—
Postretirement benefit plans		4		2		1