Related Party Transactions and Major Customers

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions Disclosure [Text Block]

Related Party Transactions and Major Customers

(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 borrowings from the money pool of $120 million and investments in the money pool of $107 million at September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, respectively, which are included in accounts and notes payable-affiliated companies and accounts and notes receivable-affiliated companies, respectively, in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. Net interest income (expense) related to accounts and notes receivables and payables-affiliated companies was not material for either the three or nine months ended September 30, 2015 or 2014.

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 as follows and are included primarily in operation and maintenance expenses:

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
	(in millions)
Corporate service charges	$	40	$	41	$	126	$	117

(b) Major Customers

CenterPoint Houston’s transmission and distribution revenues from major customers are as follows:

	Three Months Ended September 30,				Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2015		2014		2015		2014
	(in millions)
Affiliates of NRG	$	222	$	222	$	578	$	552
Affiliates of Energy Future Holdings Corp.	$	67	$	59	$	170	$	140