| Schedule of Regulatory Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block] |
The following is a list of regulatory assets and liabilities reflected on the Registrants’ respective Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018. The “amortization through” columns indicate the latest year when a regulatory asset or regulatory liability category will be fully amortized: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | December 31, 2019 | | CenterPoint Energy | | Houston Electric | | CERC | | Amortization Through | (in millions) | | Amortization Through | (in millions) | | Amortization Through | (in millions) | Regulatory Assets: | | | | | | | | | Current regulatory assets (1) | 2020 | $ | 12 |
| | n/a | $ | — |
| | 2020 | $ | 12 |
| Non-current regulatory assets: | | | | | | | | | Securitized regulatory assets | 2024 | 788 |
| | 2024 | 788 |
| | n/a | — |
| Unrecognized equity return (2) | 2024 | (168 | ) | | 2024 | (168 | ) | | n/a | — |
| Unamortized loss on reacquired debt (3) | 2046 | 62 |
| | 2046 | 62 |
| | n/a | — |
| Pension and postretirement-related regulatory asset (3) | Various (a) | 637 |
| | TBD (b) | 34 |
| | Various (a) | 22 |
| Hurricane Harvey restoration costs (3) | Various | 68 |
| | TBD (b) | 64 |
| | TBD (c) | 4 |
| Regulatory assets related to TCJA (3) (4) | Various | 30 |
| | TBD (b) | 23 |
| | 2023 | 7 |
| Asset retirement obligation (3) | Perpetual | 131 |
| | Perpetual | 26 |
| | Perpetual | 94 |
| Other regulatory assets-not earning a return (5) | Various (d) | 147 |
| | Various | 57 |
| | Various | 48 |
| Other regulatory assets | Various | 422 |
| | Various | 29 |
| | Various | 16 |
| Total non-current regulatory assets | | 2,117 |
| | | 915 |
| | | 191 |
| Total regulatory assets | | 2,129 |
| | | 915 |
| | | 203 |
| Regulatory Liabilities: | | | | | | | | | Current regulatory liabilities (6) | 2020 | 47 |
| | n/a | — |
| | 2020 | 47 |
| Non-current regulatory liabilities: | | | | | | | | | Regulatory liabilities related to TCJA (4) | Various | 1,582 |
| | TBD (b) | 821 |
| | Various | 442 |
| Estimated removal costs | Various | 1,429 |
| | Various | 244 |
| | Various | 637 |
| Other regulatory liabilities | Various | 463 |
| | Various | 223 |
| | Various | 140 |
| Total non-current regulatory liabilities | | 3,474 |
| | | 1,288 |
| | | 1,219 |
| Total regulatory liabilities | | 3,521 |
| | | 1,288 |
| | | 1,266 |
| Total regulatory assets and liabilities, net | | $ | (1,392 | ) | | | $ | (373 | ) | | | $ | (1,063 | ) |
| | (a) | Pension and postretirement-related regulatory assets balances are measured annually, and the ending amortization period may change based on the actuarial valuation. |
| | (b) | The recovery and amortization of these amounts are to be determined upon receipt of the final order. |
| | (c) | The recovery and amortization of a portion of these amounts are expected to be determined in the next rate case. |
| | (d) | Other regulatory assets not-earning a return includes items with different amortization periods; therefore, the amortization is accounted for through various periods. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | December 31, 2018 | | CenterPoint Energy | | Houston Electric | | CERC | | (in millions) | Regulatory Assets: | | Current regulatory assets (1) | $ | 77 |
| | $ | — |
| | $ | 77 |
| Non-current regulatory assets: | | Securitized regulatory assets | 1,059 |
| | 1,059 |
| | — |
| Unrecognized equity return (2) | (213 | ) | | (213 | ) | | — |
| Unamortized loss on reacquired debt (3) | 68 |
| | 68 |
| | — |
| Pension and postretirement-related regulatory asset (3) | 725 |
| | 33 |
| | 30 |
| Hurricane Harvey restoration costs (3) | 68 |
| | 64 |
| | 4 |
| Regulatory assets related to TCJA (3) (4) | 33 |
| | 23 |
| | 10 |
| Asset retirement obligation (3) | 109 |
| | 24 |
| | 85 |
| Other regulatory assets-not earning a return (3) | 81 |
| | 55 |
| | 26 |
| Other regulatory assets | 37 |
| | 11 |
| | 26 |
| Total non-current regulatory assets | 1,967 |
| | 1,124 |
| | 181 |
| Total regulatory assets | 2,044 |
| | 1,124 |
| | 258 |
| Regulatory Liabilities: | | Current regulatory liabilities (6) | 38 |
| | 17 |
| | 21 |
| Non-current regulatory liabilities: | | Regulatory liabilities related to TCJA (4) | 1,323 |
| | 847 |
| | 476 |
| Estimated removal costs | 886 |
| | 269 |
| | 617 |
| Other regulatory liabilities | 316 |
| | 182 |
| | 134 |
| Total non-current regulatory liabilities | 2,525 |
| | 1,298 |
| | 1,227 |
| Total regulatory liabilities | 2,563 |
| | 1,315 |
| | 1,248 |
| Total regulatory assets and liabilities, net | $ | (519 | ) | | $ | (191 | ) | | $ | (990 | ) |
| | (1) | Current regulatory assets are included in Prepaid expenses and other current assets in the Registrants’ respective Consolidated Balance Sheets. |
| | (2) | The unrecognized equity return will be recognized as it is recovered in rates through 2024. The timing of CenterPoint Energy’s and Houston Electric’s recognition of the equity return will vary each period based on amounts actually collected during the period. The actual amounts recognized are adjusted at least annually to correct any over-collections or under-collections during the preceding 12 months. |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year Ended December 31, | | 2019 | | 2018 | | 2017 | | CenterPoint Energy | | Houston Electric | | CenterPoint Energy | | Houston Electric | | CenterPoint Energy | | Houston Electric | | (in millions) | Allowed equity return recognized | $ | 45 |
| | $ | 45 |
| | $ | 74 |
| | $ | 74 |
| | $ | 42 |
| | $ | 42 |
|
| | (3) | Substantially all of these regulatory assets are not earning a return. |
| | (4) | The EDIT and deferred revenues will be recovered or refunded to customers as required by tax and regulatory authorities. See Note 15 for additional information. |
| | (5) | Regulatory assets acquired in the Merger and not earning a return were recorded at fair value as of the Merger Date. Such fair value adjustments are recognized over time until the regulatory asset is recovered. |
(6) Current regulatory liabilities are included in Other current liabilities in each of the Registrants’ respective Consolidated Balance Sheets.
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