Commitments and Contingencies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Long-term Purchase Commitment [Table Text Block]

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

	Natural Gas and Coal Supply				Other (1)
	CenterPoint Energy		CERC		CenterPoint Energy
	(in millions)
2021	$	708	$	491	$	17
2022	542		328		12
2023	465		275		10
2024	387		254		190
2025	370		227		—
2026 and beyond	1,930		1,547		—

(1)Primarily relates to technology hardware and software

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.

	December 31, 2020
	CenterPoint Energy		CERC
	(in millions, except years)
Amount accrued for remediation	$	12	$	7
Minimum estimated remediation costs	7		4
Maximum estimated remediation costs	54		32
Minimum years of remediation	5		30
Maximum years of remediation	50		50