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Employee Benefit Plans
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]
Employee Benefit Plans

CenterPoint Houston’s employees participate in CenterPoint Energy’s postretirement benefit plan. CenterPoint Houston’s net periodic cost includes the following components relating to postretirement benefits:
 
 
Three Months Ended June 30,
 
Six Months Ended June 30,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014

 
 
(in millions)
Service cost
 
$
1

 
$
—

 
$
1

 
$
—

Interest cost
 
3

 
3

 
6

 
7

Expected return on plan assets
 
(1
)
 
(2
)
 
(3
)
 
(3
)
Amortization of prior service credit
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Amortization of loss
 
1

 
1

 
2

 
1

Amortization of transition obligation
 
—

 
1

 
—

 
2

Net periodic cost
 
$
3

 
$
2

 
$
5

 
$
6



CenterPoint Houston expects to contribute approximately $7 million to its postretirement benefit plan in 2015, of which $2 million and $4 million were contributed during the three and six months ended June 30, 2015.