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Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Schedule of Net Benefit Costs
The Registrants’ net periodic cost (benefit), 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 June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,
2021202020212020
(in millions)
Service cost (1)
$10 $12 $20 $22 
Interest cost (2)
14 19 29 38 
Expected return on plan assets (2)
(26)(29)(52)(57)
Amortization of prior service cost (2)
— — — — 
Amortization of net loss (2)
10 11 19 21 
Settlement cost (benefit) (2) (3)
(1)1 (1)1 
Net periodic cost$7 $14 $15 $25 

(1)Amounts presented in the table above are included in Operation and maintenance expense in CenterPoint Energy’s 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 CenterPoint Energy’s Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of regulatory deferrals.
(3)A one-time, non-cash settlement cost (benefit) is required when the total lump sum distributions or other settlements of plan benefit obligations during a plan year exceed the service cost and interest cost components of the net periodic cost for that year. In each of the three and six months ended June 30, 2021 and 2020, CenterPoint Energy recognized non-cash settlement costs (benefits) due to lump sum settlement payments from Vectren pension plans.
Postretirement Benefits
Three Months Ended June 30,
20212020
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERCCenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Service cost (1)
$— $— $1 $1 $— $— 
Interest cost (2)
2 1 — 3 2 1 
Expected return on plan assets (2)
(1)(1)— (2)(1)— 
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)
(1)(1)— (1)(2)— 
Net periodic cost (benefit)$— $(1)$1 $1 $(1)$1 
Six Months Ended June 30,
20212020
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERCCenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Service cost (1)
$1 $— $1 $1 $— $— 
Interest cost (2)
4 2 1 6 3 2 
Expected return on plan assets (2)
(2)(2)— (3)(2)— 
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)
(2)(2)— (2)(3)— 
Net periodic cost (benefit)$1 $(2)$2 $2 $(2)$2 

(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
The table below reflects the expected contributions to be made to the pension and postretirement benefit plans during 2021:
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Expected minimum contribution to pension plans during 2021$61 $— $— 
Expected contribution to postretirement benefit plans in 2021913

On March 11, 2021, the ARPA was signed into law which includes pension plan funding relief for the sponsoring employers. As a result, the required minimum contribution to pension plans for 2021 has been significantly reduced. However, CenterPoint Energy elects to maintain the same level of funding previously planned for 2021, and therefore, the expected minimum contribution amount does not reflect this funding relief available for 2021.

The table below reflects the contributions made to the pension and postretirement benefit plans during 2021:
Three Months Ended June 30, 2021Six Months Ended June 30, 2021
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERCCenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Pension plans$— $— $— $8 $— $— 
Postretirement benefit plans1— 14— 2