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Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Dec. 31, 2019
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]    
Equity Method Investments [Table Text Block]
Limited Partner Interest and Units Held in Enable (CenterPoint Energy):
As of December 31,
20202019
Limited Partner Interest (1)
Common Units
Enable Series A Preferred Units (2)
Limited Partner Interest (1)
Common Units
Enable Series A Preferred Units (2)
CenterPoint Energy53.7 %233,856,623 14,520,000 53.7 %233,856,623 14,520,000 
OGE25.5 %110,982,805 — 25.5 %110,982,805 — 
Public unitholders20.8 %90,710,464 — 20.8 %90,361,937 — 
Total Units Outstanding100.0 %435,549,892 14,520,000 100.0 %435,201,365 14,520,000 

(1)Excludes the Enable Series A Preferred Units owned by CenterPoint Energy.

(2)The carrying amount of the Enable Series A Preferred Units, reflected as Preferred units - unconsolidated affiliate on CenterPoint Energy’s Consolidated Balance Sheets, was $363 million as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019. No impairment charges or adjustment to carrying value were made as no observable price changes were identified in the current or prior reporting periods.
Interests Held in Enable GP (CenterPoint Energy):

CenterPoint Energy and OGE held the following interests in Enable GP as of both December 31, 2020 and 2019:
Management
 Rights (1)
Incentive Distribution Rights (2)
CenterPoint Energy (3)
50 %40 %
OGE50 %60 %

(1)Enable is controlled jointly by CenterPoint Energy and OGE. Sale of CenterPoint Energy’s or OGE’s ownership interests in Enable GP to a third party is subject to mutual rights of first offer and first refusal, and CenterPoint Energy is not permitted to dispose of less than all of its interest in Enable GP.

(2)If cash distributions to Enable’s unitholders exceed $0.330625 per common unit in any quarter, Enable GP will receive increasing percentages or incentive distributions rights, up to 50%, of the cash Enable distributes in excess of that amount. In certain circumstances Enable GP will have the right to reset the minimum quarterly distribution and the target distribution levels at which the incentive distributions receive increasing percentages to higher levels based on Enable’s cash distributions at the time of the exercise of this reset election. To date, no incentive distributions have been made.

(3)Held indirectly through CNP Midstream.

Distributions Received from Enable (CenterPoint Energy and CERC):

CenterPoint Energy
Year Ended December 31,
202020192018
Per UnitCash DistributionPer UnitCash DistributionPer UnitCash Distribution
(in millions, except per unit amounts)
Enable common units$0.8263 $193 $1.2970 $303 $1.2720 $297 
Enable Series A Preferred Units (1)
2.5000 36 2.5000 36 2.5000 36 
Total$229 $339 $333 
(1)As of December 31, 2020, the Enable Series A Preferred Units annual distribution rate was 10%. On February 18, 2021, five years after the issue date, the Enable Series A Preferred Units annual distribution rate changed to a percentage of the Stated Series A Liquidation Preference per Series A Preferred unit equal to the sum of (a) Three-Month LIBOR, as calculated on each applicable date of determination, and (b)8.5%.
Transactions with Enable (CenterPoint Energy and CERC):

The transactions with Enable in the following tables exclude transactions with the Energy Services Disposal Group. See Note 4 for further information.
CenterPoint Energy and CERC
Year Ended December 31,
202020192018
(in millions)
Natural gas expenses, including transportation and storage costs (1)
$86 $86 $86 
Reimbursement of support services (2)
— — 4 
(1)Included in Non-utility costs of revenues, including natural gas on CenterPoint Energy’s and CERC’s respective Statements of Consolidated Income.

(2)Represents amounts billed for certain support services provided to Enable. Actual support services costs were recorded net of reimbursement.
CenterPoint Energy and CERC
December 31,
20202019
CenterPoint Energy (in millions)
Accounts payable for natural gas purchases from Enable$9 $9 
Accounts receivable for amounts billed for services provided to Enable1 2 

Summarized consolidated income (loss) information for Enable is as follows:
Year Ended December 31,
202020192018
(in millions)
Operating revenues$2,463 $2,960 $3,431 
Cost of sales, excluding depreciation and amortization965 1,279 1,819 
Depreciation and amortization420 433 398 
Goodwill impairment28 86 — 
Operating income 465 569 648 
Net income attributable to Enable common units52 360 485 
Reconciliation of Equity in Earnings (Losses), net:
CenterPoint Energy’s interest$28 $193 $262 
Basis difference amortization (1)
87 47 47 
Loss on dilution, net of proportional basis difference recognition(2)(11)(2)
Impairment of CenterPoint Energy’s equity method investment in Enable(1,541)— — 
CenterPoint Energy’s equity in earnings (losses), net $(1,428)$229 $307 
(1)Equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliate includes CenterPoint Energy’s share of Enable earnings adjusted for the amortization of the basis difference of CenterPoint Energy’s original investment in Enable and its underlying equity in net assets of Enable. The basis difference is being amortized through the year 2048.

Summarized consolidated balance sheet information for Enable is as follows:
December 31,
20202019
(in millions)
Current assets$381 $389 
Non-current assets11,348 11,877 
Current liabilities582 780 
Non-current liabilities4,052 4,077 
Non-controlling interest26 37 
Preferred equity362 362 
Accumulated other comprehensive loss(6)(3)
Enable partners’ equity6,713 7,013 
December 31,
20202019
(in millions)
Reconciliation of Investment in Enable:
CenterPoint Energy’s ownership interest in Enable partners’ equity$3,601 $3,767 
CenterPoint Energy’s basis difference (1)
(2,819)(1,361)
CenterPoint Energy’s equity method investment in Enable$782 $2,406 
(1)Includes the impairment of CenterPoint Energy’s equity method investment in Enable of $1,541 million recorded during the year ended December 31, 2020. The basis difference is being amortized through the year 2048.
Investment in Unconsolidated Affiliates (CenterPoint Energy):
December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
(in millions)
Enable$782 $2,406 
Other1 2 
  Total$783 $2,408 
CenterPoint Energy evaluates its equity method investments for impairment when factors indicate that a decrease in the value of its investment has occurred and the carrying amount of its investment may not be recoverable. An impairment loss, based on the excess of the carrying value over the estimated fair value of the investment, is recognized in earnings when an impairment is deemed to be other than temporary. Considerable judgment is used in determining if an impairment loss is other than temporary and the amount of any impairment. Based on the severity of the decline in Enable’s common unit price during the three months ended March 31, 2020 due to the macroeconomic conditions related in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with Enable’s announcement on April 1, 2020 to reduce its quarterly distributions per common unit by 50%, and the market outlook indicating excess supply of crude oil and natural gas and continued depressed crude oil and natural gas prices impacting the midstream oil and gas industry, CenterPoint Energy determined, in connection with its preparation of the financial statements, that an other than temporary decrease in the value of its investment in Enable had occurred. CenterPoint Energy reduced the carrying value of its investment in Enable to its estimated fair value of $848 million as of March 31, 2020 and recognized an impairment charge of $1,541 million during the year ended December 31, 2020. Both the income approach and market approach were utilized to estimate the fair value of CenterPoint Energy’s equity investment in Enable, which includes common units, general partner interest and incentive distribution rights held by CenterPoint Energy through CNP Midstream. The determination of fair value considered a number of relevant factors including Enable’s common unit price and forecasted distributions, recent comparable transactions and the limited float of Enable’s publicly traded common units. As of December 31, 2020, CenterPoint Energy’s investment in Enable is $3.34 per unit and Enable’s common unit price closed at $5.26 per unit. See Note 10 for further discussion of the determination of fair value of CenterPoint Energy’s investment in Enable as of March 31, 2020. CenterPoint Energy did not identify a further decrease in value as of December 31, 2020.

Equity in Earnings of Unconsolidated Affiliates, net (CenterPoint Energy):
Year Ended December 31,
2020 (1)
2019 (2)
2018
(in millions)
Enable (1)
$(1,428)$229 $307 
Other — 1 — 
  Total$(1,428)$230 $307 

(1)CenterPoint Energy recognized a loss of $1,428 million from its investment in Enable for the year ended December 31, 2020. This loss included an impairment charge on CenterPoint Energy’s investment in Enable of $1,541 million discussed above, and CenterPoint Energy’s interest in Enable’s $225 million impairment on an equity method investment.

(2)Includes CenterPoint Energy’s share of Enable’s $86 million goodwill impairment recorded in the fourth quarter of 2019.