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Income Taxes
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes Income Taxes
The Registrants reported the following effective tax rates:
Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,
2022202120222021
CenterPoint Energy - Continuing operations (1)
22 %(11)%26 %%
CenterPoint Energy - Discontinued operations
— %24 %— %23 %
Houston Electric (2)
21 %15 %21 %14 %
CERC (3)(4)
%(28)%23 %12 %

(1)CenterPoint Energy’s higher effective tax rate on income from continuing operations for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same periods ended June 30, 2021 was primarily driven by the impact of the non-deductible goodwill associated with the sale of the Natural Gas businesses in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and a decrease in EDIT amortization of the net regulatory EDIT liability.
(2)Houston Electric’s higher effective tax rate for the three and six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same period in 2021 was primarily driven by a decrease in the amount of amortization of the net regulatory EDIT liability.
(3)CERC’s higher effective tax rate for the three months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same period ended June 30, 2021 was primarily driven by the impact of the non-deductible goodwill associated with the sale of the
Natural Gas businesses in Arkansas and Oklahoma, and an increase in EDIT amortization of the net regulatory EDIT liability offset by the net expense effect in 2021 of a deferred state tax benefit for the revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities due to both the Arkansas and Oklahoma gas assets being held for sale and Louisiana and Oklahoma tax rates changes as well as the release of the valuation allowance on certain Louisiana NOLs in the quarter ended June 30, 2021, a period in which CERC had a loss.
(4)CERC’s higher effective tax rate for the six months ended June 30, 2022 compared to the same period ended June 30, 2021 was primarily driven by the impact of the non-deductible goodwill associated with the sale of the Natural Gas businesses in Arkansas and Oklahoma offset by an increase in EDIT amortization of the net regulatory EDIT liability and the 2021 deferred state tax benefit for the revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities due to both the Arkansas and Oklahoma gas assets being held for sale and Louisiana and Oklahoma tax rates changes as well as the release of the valuation allowance on certain Louisiana NOLs in the quarter ended June 30, 2021.

CenterPoint Energy reported a net uncertain tax liability, inclusive of interest and penalties, of $5 million as of June 30, 2022. The Registrants believe that it is reasonably possible that a decrease of less than $1 million in unrecognized tax benefits may occur in the next 12 months as a result of a lapse of statutes on older exposures, a tax settlement, and/or a resolution of open audits.

Tax Audits and Settlements. Tax years through 2018 have been audited and settled with the IRS for CenterPoint Energy. For the 2019-2022 tax years, the Registrants are participants in the IRS’s Compliance Assurance Process. Vectren’s pre-Merger
2014-2019 tax years are currently under audit by the IRS.