exv99w1

Exhibit 99.1


		For more information contact Media: Leticia Lowe Phone 713.207.7702 Investors: Marianne Paulsen Phone 713.207.6500

For Immediate Release		Page 1 of 5

CENTERPOINT ENERGY REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2010 EARNINGS

Houston, TX — October 28, 2010 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) today reported net income of $123 million, or $0.29 per diluted share, for the third quarter of 2010 compared to $114 million, or $0.31 per diluted share, for the same period of 2009. Operating income for the third quarter of 2010 was $327 million compared to $287 million for the same period of 2009.

“I am pleased with the overall results from our business units this quarter,” said David M. McClanahan, president and chief executive officer of CenterPoint Energy. “Our regulated electric and natural gas utilities performed well and we continue to see the benefits of the significant investments we have made in our field services and pipeline businesses.”

For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, net income was $318 million, or $0.78 per diluted share, compared to $267 million, or $0.74 per diluted share, for the same period of 2009. Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, was $947 million compared to $825 million for the same period of 2009.

OPERATING INCOME BY SEGMENT

Electric Transmission & Distribution

The electric transmission & distribution segment reported operating income of $212 million for the third quarter of 2010, consisting of $178 million from the regulated electric transmission & distribution utility operations (TDU) and $34 million related to transition and system restoration bonds. Operating income for the third quarter of 2009 was $218 million, consisting of $187 million from the TDU and $31 million related to transition bonds. Operating income for the TDU increased from growth of nearly 21,000 metered customers since September 2009, but was more than offset by reduced revenues associated with the credit to customers’ bills reflecting the benefit of deferred taxes associated with Hurricane Ike storm restoration costs, and increased operation and maintenance expenses.

Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, was $477 million, consisting of $371 million from the TDU and $106 million related to transition and system restoration bonds. Operating income for the same period of 2009 was $450 million, consisting of $353 million from the TDU and $97 million related to transition bonds.

Natural Gas Distribution

The natural gas distribution segment reported an operating loss of $4 million for the third quarter of 2010 compared to an operating loss of $15 million for the same period of 2009. Operating results benefited from rate increases and rate design changes, and higher system throughput, partially offset

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For Immediate Release		Page 2 of 5

by higher operation and maintenance expenses. Due to seasonal impacts, this segment typically reports a loss in the third quarter.

Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, was $145 million compared to $105 million for the same period of 2009.

Interstate Pipelines

The interstate pipelines segment reported operating income of $68 million for the third quarter of 2010 compared to $64 million for the same period of 2009. Operating income increased due to higher revenue from firm contracts associated with Phase IV of the Carthage to Perryville pipeline and for deliveries to gas-fired power generators, as well as lower operation and maintenance expenses, partially offset by reduced revenues from ancillary services.

In addition to operating income, this segment recorded equity income of $8 million for the third quarter of 2010 primarily from its 50 percent interest in the Southeast Supply Header (SESH) compared to an equity loss of $5 million for the third quarter of 2009, which included a non-cash charge of $11 million to reflect SESH’s discontinued use of regulatory accounting.

Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, was $207 million compared to $194 million for the same period of 2009. In addition to operating income, this segment recorded equity income of $15 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, primarily from its 50 percent interest in SESH compared to $2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2009, which included non-cash charges of $16 million to reflect SESH’s discontinued use of regulatory accounting.

Field Services

The field services segment reported operating income of $40 million for the third quarter of 2010 compared to $23 million for the same period of 2009. Revenue growth from higher gathering volumes was partially offset by increased operation and maintenance expenses primarily related to facility expansions.

In addition to operating income, this business had equity income of $3 million in the third quarter of 2010 compared to $2 million in the third quarter of 2009 from its 50 percent interest in a gas processing plant.

Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, was $94 million compared to $72 million for the same period of 2009. Equity income from the jointly-owned gas processing plant was $8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, compared to $6 million for the same period of 2009.

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For Immediate Release		Page 3 of 5

Competitive Natural Gas Sales and Services

The competitive natural gas sales and services segment reported operating income of $7 million for the third quarter of 2010 compared to an operating loss of $8 million for the same period of 2009. Operating income for the third quarter of 2010 included gains of $19 million resulting from mark-to-market accounting for derivatives associated with certain forward natural gas purchases and sales used to lock in economic margins compared to charges of $6 million for the same period of 2009. The third quarter of 2010 also included a $6 million write-down of natural gas inventory to the lower of average cost or market.

Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, was $16 million compared to no operating income for the same period of 2009. Operating income for the nine months ended September 30, 2010, included gains of $14 million resulting from mark-to-market accounting compared to charges of $22 million for the same period of 2009. Each of the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2009, also included $6 million in inventory write-downs.

DIVIDEND DECLARATION

On October 21, 2010, CenterPoint Energy’s board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.195 per share of common stock payable on December 10, 2010, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 16, 2010.

OUTLOOK REAFFIRMED FOR 2010

CenterPoint Energy reaffirmed its 2010 earnings guidance of $1.02 to $1.12 per diluted share. This guidance takes into consideration performance to date, equity issuances and various economic and operational assumptions related to the business segments in which the company operates. The company has made certain assumptions regarding the timing and cost of financing activities and the impact to earnings of various regulatory proceedings. In providing this guidance, the company has not included the impact of any changes in accounting standards, any impact from significant acquisitions or divestitures, any impact to income from the change in value of Time Warner stocks and the related ZENS securities, the timing effects of mark-to-market or inventory accounting in the company’s competitive natural gas sales and services business, or the outcome of the TDU’s true-up appeal. The company has also excluded increased taxes recorded in the first quarter of 2010 as a result of recent health care legislation. For the impact of these factors on the company’s earnings for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2010, see the reconciliation below.

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For Immediate Release		Page 4 of 5

FILING OF FORM 10-Q FOR CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

Today, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2010. A copy of that report is available on the company’s Web site, www.CenterPointEnergy.com, under the Investors section. Other filings the company makes with the SEC and other documents relating to its corporate governance can also be found on that site.

WEBCAST OF EARNINGS CONFERENCE CALL

CenterPoint Energy’s management will host an earnings conference call on Thursday, October 28, 2010, at 10:30 a.m. Central time or 11:30 a.m. Eastern time. Interested parties may listen to a live audio broadcast of the conference call at www.CenterPointEnergy.com. A replay of the call can be accessed approximately two hours after the completion of the call and will be archived on the Web site for at least one year.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines, and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total over $19 billion. With about 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 135 years. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

This news release includes forward-looking statements. Actual events and results may differ materially from those projected. The statements in this news release regarding the company’s earnings outlook for 2010 and future financial performance and results of operations, and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect actual results include the timing and outcome of the appeal from the true-up proceedings, the timing and impact of future regulatory, legislative, and IRS decisions, effects of competition, weather variations, changes in CenterPoint Energy’s or its subsidiaries’ business plans, financial market conditions, the timing and extent of changes in natural gas and natural gas liquids prices, the impact of unplanned facility outages, and other factors discussed in CenterPoint Energy’s and its subsidiaries’ Forms 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2009, CenterPoint Energy’s and its subsidiaries’ Forms 10-Q for the periods ended March 31, 2010, and June 30, 2010, CenterPoint Energy’s Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2010, and other filings with the SEC.

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		For more information contact Media: Leticia Lowe Phone 713.207.7702 Investors: Marianne Paulsen Phone 713.207.6500

For Immediate Release		Page 5 of 5

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Reconciliation of reported Net Income and diluted EPS to the basis used in providing annual earnings guidance


	Quarter Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30, 2010						September 30, 2010
	Net Income			EPS			Net Income			EPS
	(in millions)						(in millions)
As reported	$	123		$	0.29		$	318		$	0.78
Timing effects impacting CES⁽¹⁾:
Mark-to-market (gains) losses — natural gas derivative contracts		(12	)		(0.03	)		(9	)		(0.02	)
Natural gas inventory write-downs		4			0.01			4			0.01
ZENS-related mark-to-market (gains) losses:
Marketable securities⁽²⁾		(12	)		(0.03	)		(23	)		(0.06	)
Indexed debt securities		3			0.01			—			—
Tax impact of federal health care legislation		—			—			21			0.05


Per the basis used in providing annual earnings guidance	$	106		$	0.25		$	311		$	0.76


⁽¹⁾		Competitive natural gas sales and services

⁽²⁾		Time Warner Inc., Time Warner Cable Inc. and AOL Inc.

###

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Statements of Consolidated Income

(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Quarter Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2009			2010			2009			2010
Revenues:
Electric Transmission & Distribution	$	608		$	655		$	1,541		$	1,699
Natural Gas Distribution		402			398			2,341			2,400
Competitive Natural Gas Sales and Services		399			647			1,596			2,059
Interstate Pipelines		153			170			461			456
Field Services		63			94			176			242
Other Operations		3			3			9			9
Eliminations		(52	)		(59	)		(142	)		(178	)

Total		1,576			1,908			5,982			6,687


Expenses:
Natural gas		582			808			3,081			3,521
Operation and maintenance		415			444			1,226			1,268
Depreciation and amortization		208			243			562			660
Taxes other than income taxes		84			86			288			291

Total		1,289			1,581			5,157			5,740

Operating Income		287			327			825			947


Other Income (Expense) :
Gain on marketable securities		47			19			68			35
Loss on indexed debt securities		(30	)		(5	)		(54	)		—
Interest and other finance charges		(126	)		(121	)		(384	)		(364	)
Interest on transition and system restoration bonds		(32	)		(34	)		(98	)		(106	)
Equity in earnings (losses) of unconsolidated affiliates		(3	)		10			8			22
Other — net		9			3			31			7

Total		(135	)		(128	)		(429	)		(406	)


Income Before Income Taxes		152			199			396			541

Income Tax Expense		(38	)		(76	)		(129	)		(223	)


Net Income	$	114		$	123		$	267		$	318

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Selected Data From Statements of Consolidated Income
(Millions of Dollars, Except Share and Per Share Amounts)
(Unaudited)


	Quarter Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2009			2010			2009			2010
Income from Discontinued Operations		—						(0.01	)		—
Extraordinary item, net of tax		—						0.10			—
Basic Earnings Per Common Share	$	0.31		$	0.29		$	0.75		$	0.79


Income from Discontinued Operations					6.00
Extraordinary item, net of tax					1.00
Diluted Earnings Per Common Share	$	0.31		$	0.29		$	0.74		$	0.78


Dividends Declared per Common Share	$	0.190		$	0.195		$	0.57		$	0.585

Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding (000):
- Basic		369,512			422,178			356,570			404,957
- Diluted		371,742			424,968			358,745			407,728

Operating Income (Loss) by Segment

Electric Transmission & Distribution:
Electric Transmission and Distribution Operations	$	187		$	178		$	353		$	371
Transition and System Restoration Bond Companies		31			34			97			106

Total Electric Transmission & Distribution		218			212			450			477
Natural Gas Distribution		(15	)		(4	)		105			145
Competitive Natural Gas Sales and Services		(8	)		7			—			16
Interstate Pipelines		64			68			194			207
Field Services		23			40			72			94
Other Operations		5			4			4			8


Total	$	287		$	327		$	825		$	947

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Results of Operations by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Electric Transmission & Distribution
	Quarter Ended									Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						% Diff			September 30,						% Diff
	2009			2010			Fav/(Unfav)			2009			2010			Fav/(Unfav)
Results of Operations:
Revenues:
Electric transmission and distribution utility	$	503		$	520			3	%	$	1,281		$	1,355			6	%
Transition and system restoration bond companies		105			135			29	%		260			344			32	%

Total		608			655			8	%		1,541			1,699			10	%


Expenses:
Operation and maintenance		194			215			(11	%)		563			609			(8	%)
Depreciation and amortization		70			75			(7	%)		207			219			(6	%)
Taxes other than income taxes		52			52			—			158			156			1	%
Transition and system restoration bond companies		74			101			(36	%)		163			238			(46	%)

Total		390			443			(14	%)		1,091			1,222			(12	%)

Operating Income	$	218		$	212			(3	%)	$	450		$	477			6	%


Operating Income:
Electric transmission and distribution operations	$	187		$	178			(5	%)	$	353		$	371			5	%
Transition and system restoration bond companies		31			34			10	%		97			106			9	%

Total Segment Operating Income	$	218		$	212			(3	%)	$	450		$	477			6	%


Electric Transmission & Distribution Operating Data:
Actual MWH Delivered
Residential		9,242,635			9,262,154			—			20,040,598			21,499,427			7	%
Total		22,963,434			23,342,324			2	%		57,946,697			59,952,416			3	%

Weather (average for service area):
Percentage of 10-year average:
Cooling degree days		107	%		109	%					108	%		104	%
Heating degree days		0	%		0	%					89	%		160	%

Number of metered customers — end of period:
Residential		1,849,158			1,868,421			1	%		1,849,158			1,868,421			1	%
Total		2,094,847			2,115,595			1	%		2,094,847			2,115,595			1	%


	Natural Gas Distribution
	Quarter Ended									Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						% Diff			September 30,						% Diff
	2009			2010			Fav/(Unfav)			2009			2010			Fav/(Unfav)
Results of Operations:
Revenues	$	402		$	398			(1	%)	$	2,341		$	2,400			3	%

Expenses:
Natural gas		198			180			9	%		1,538			1,563			(2	%)
Operation and maintenance		157			160			(2	%)		478			471			1	%
Depreciation and amortization		40			40			—			121			124			(2	%)
Taxes other than income taxes		22			22			—			99			97			2	%

Total		417			402			4	%		2,236			2,255			(1	%)

Operating Income (Loss)	$	(15	)	$	(4	)		73	%	$	105		$	145			38	%


Natural Gas Distribution Operating Data:
Throughput data in BCF
Residential		13			13			—			111			125			13	%
Commercial and Industrial		41			46			12	%		164			182			11	%

Total Throughput		54			59			9	%		275			307			12	%


Weather (average for service area)
Percentage of 10-year average:
Heating degree days		58	%		97	%					102	%		110	%

Number of customers — end of period:
Residential		2,954,095			2,969,452			1	%		2,954,095			2,969,452			1	%
Commercial and Industrial		241,036			242,032			—			241,036			242,032			—

Total		3,195,131			3,211,484			1	%		3,195,131			3,211,484			1	%

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Results of Operations by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Competitive Natural Gas Sales and Services
	Quarter Ended								Nine Months Ended
	September 30,					% Diff			September 30,				% Diff
	2009			2010		Fav/(Unfav)			2009		2010		Fav/(Unfav)
Results of Operations:
Revenues	$	399		$	647		62	%	$	1,596	$	2,059		29	%

Expenses:
Natural gas		396			629		(59	%)		1,562		2,009		(29	%)
Operation and maintenance		10			10		—			30		29		3	%
Depreciation and amortization		1			1		—			3		3		—
Taxes other than income taxes		—			—		—			1		2		(100	%)

Total		407			640		(57	%)		1,596		2,043		(28	%)

Operating Income (Loss)	$	(8	)	$	7		188	%	$	—	$	16		—


Competitive Natural Gas Sales and Services Operating Data:
Throughput data in BCF		115			135		17	%		370		404		9	%


Number of customers — end of period		10,934			11,883		9	%		10,934		11,883		9	%


	Interstate Pipelines
	Quarter Ended							Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				% Diff			September 30,				% Diff
	2009		2010		Fav/(Unfav)			2009		2010		Fav/(Unfav)
Results of Operations:
Revenues	$	153	$	170		11	%	$	461	$	456		(1	%)

Expenses:
Natural gas		22		38		(73	%)		85		72		15	%
Operation and maintenance		47		42		11	%		123		112		9	%
Depreciation and amortization		12		13		(8	%)		36		39		(8	%)
Taxes other than income taxes		8		9		(13	%)		23		26		(13	%)

Total		89		102		(15	%)		267		249		7	%

Operating Income	$	64	$	68		6	%	$	194	$	207		7	%


Pipelines Operating Data:
Throughput data in BCF
Transportation		378		422		12	%		1,235		1,260		2	%

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Results of Operations by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Field Services
	Quarter Ended							Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				% Diff			September 30,				% Diff
	2009		2010		Fav/(Unfav)			2009		2010		Fav/(Unfav)
Results of Operations:
Revenues	$	63	$	94		49	%	$	176	$	242		38	%

Expenses:
Natural gas		18		19		(6	%)		36		53		(47	%)
Operation and maintenance		17		29		(71	%)		54		75		(39	%)
Depreciation and amortization		4		6		(50	%)		11		17		(55	%)
Taxes other than income taxes		1		—		—			3		3		—

Total		40		54		(35	%)		104		148		(42	%)

Operating Income	$	23	$	40		74	%	$	72	$	94		31	%


Field Services Operating Data:
Throughput data in BCF
Gathering		106		180		70	%		312		464		49	%


	Other Operations
	Quarter Ended									Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						% Diff			September 30,				% Diff
	2009			2010			Fav/(Unfav)			2009		2010		Fav/(Unfav)
Results of Operations:
Revenues	$	3		$	3			—		$	9	$	9		—
Expenses		(2	)		(1	)		(50	%)		5		1		80	%

Operating Income	$	5		$	4			(20	%)	$	4	$	8		100	%

Capital Expenditures by Segment
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Quarter Ended				Nine Months Ended
	September 30,				September 30,
	2009		2010		2009		2010
Capital Expenditures by Segment
Electric Transmission & Distribution	$	99	$	121	$	288	$	317
Hurricane Ike		8		—		26		—

Total Electric Transmission & Distribution		107		121		314		317
Natural Gas Distribution		44		54		121		128
Competitive Natural Gas Sales and Services		1		1		2		2
Interstate Pipelines		44		31		118		71
Field Services		113		131		217		472
Other Operations		9		8		18		15

Total	$	318	$	346	$	790	$	1,005

(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Quarter Ended						Nine Months Ended
	September 30,						September 30,
	2009			2010			2009			2010
Interest Expense Detail
Amortization of Deferred Financing Cost	$	9		$	6		$	27		$	18
Capitalization of Interest Cost		(1	)		(2	)		(4	)		(5	)
Transition and System Restoration Bond Interest Expense		32			34			98			106
Other Interest Expense		118			117			361			351

Total Interest Expense	$	158		$	155		$	482		$	470

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	December 31,		September 30,
	2009		2010
ASSETS
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$	740	$	99
Other current assets		2,164		2,044

Total current assets		2,904		2,143


Property, Plant and Equipment, net		10,788		11,420


Other Assets:
Goodwill		1,696		1,696
Regulatory assets		3,677		3,444
Other non-current assets		708		696

Total other assets		6,081		5,836

Total Assets	$	19,773	$	19,399


LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY

Current Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings	$	55	$	73
Current portion of transition and system restoration bonds long-term debt		241		283
Current portion of indexed debt		121		125
Current portion of other long-term debt		541		570
Other current liabilities		2,080		1,830

Total current liabilities		3,038		2,881


Other Liabilities:
Accumulated deferred income taxes, net and investment tax credit		2,792		2,850
Regulatory liabilities		921		978
Other non-current liabilities		1,264		1,294

Total other liabilities		4,977		5,122


Long-term Debt:
Transition and system restoration bonds		2,805		2,522
Other		6,314		5,745

Total long-term debt		9,119		8,267


Shareholders’ Equity		2,639		3,129

Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$	19,773	$	19,399

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. and Subsidiaries
Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows
(Millions of Dollars)
(Unaudited)


	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2009			2010
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net income	$	267		$	318
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization		591			681
Deferred income taxes		250			112
Write-down of natural gas inventory		6			6
Changes in net regulatory assets		19			23
Changes in other assets and liabilities		296			(170	)
Other, net		8			13

Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities		1,437			983

Net Cash Used in Investing Activities		(582	)		(1,014	)

Net Cash Used in Financing Activities		(961	)		(610	)


Net Decrease in Cash and Cash Equivalents		(106	)		(641	)

Cash and Cash Equivalents at Beginning of Period		167			740


Cash and Cash Equivalents at End of Period	$	61		$	99

Reference is made to the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
contained in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.