Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Long-term Purchase Commitment [Table Text Block]

As of March 31, 2020, minimum purchase obligations are approximately:

	CenterPoint Energy (1)		CERC (1)
	(in millions)
Remaining nine months of 2020	$	464	$	309
2021	601		417
2022	409		234
2023	327		175
2024	263		168
2025	208		163
2026 and beyond	1,622		1,329

(1) Excludes Energy Services Disposal Group obligations.

Schedule of Environmental Loss Contingencies by Site [Table Text Block]

Total costs that may be incurred in connection with addressing these sites cannot be determined at this time. The estimated accrued costs are limited to CenterPoint Energy’s and CERC’s share of the remediation efforts and are therefore net of exposures of other PRPs. The estimated range of possible remediation costs for the sites for which CenterPoint Energy and CERC believe they may have responsibility was based on remediation continuing for the minimum time frame given in the table below.

	March 31, 2020
	CenterPoint Energy		CERC
	(in millions, except years)
Amount accrued for remediation	$	11	$	7
Minimum estimated remediation costs	7		5
Maximum estimated remediation costs	53		32
Minimum years of remediation	5		30
Maximum years of remediation	50		50