Related Party Transactions and Major Customers

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Related Party Transactions and Major Customers [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

(a) Related Party Transactions

CenterPoint Houston participates in a money pool through which it can borrow or invest on a short-term basis. Funding needs are aggregated and external borrowing or investing is based on the net cash position. The net funding requirements of the money pool are expected to be met with borrowings under CenterPoint Energy’s revolving credit facility or the sale of CenterPoint Energy’s commercial paper.CenterPoint Houston had investments in the money pool of $1.0 billion and $-0- at December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2012, respectively, which are included in accounts and notes receivable-affiliated companies in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.  

At December 31, 2011 and March 31, 2012, CenterPoint Houston had a $750 million note receivable from its parent.

For both the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2012, CenterPoint Houston had net interest income related to affiliate borrowings of $5 million.

CenterPoint Energy provides some corporate services to CenterPoint Houston. The costs of services have been charged directly to CenterPoint Houston using methods that management believes are reasonable. These methods include negotiated usage rates, dedicated asset assignment and proportionate corporate formulas based on operating expenses, assets, gross margin, employees and a composite of assets, gross margin and employees. These charges are not necessarily indicative of what would have been incurred had CenterPoint Houston not been an affiliate. Amounts charged to CenterPoint Houston for these services were $34 million and $37 million for the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2012, respectively, and are included primarily in operation and maintenance expenses.

(b) Major Customers

Sales to affiliates of NRG Energy, Inc. (NRG) in the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2012 represented approximately$126 million and $140 million, respectively, of CenterPoint Houston’s transmission and distribution revenues.  Sales to affiliates of Energy Future Holdings Corp. in the three months ended March 31, 2011 and 2012 represented approximately $40 million and $36 million, respectively, of CenterPoint Houston's transmission and distribution revenues.