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Employee Benefit Plans (Tables)
 9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]  
Schedule of Defined Benefit Plans Disclosures [Table Text Block]
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 September 30,
 
Nine Months Ended September 30,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
2015
 
2014

 
 
(in millions)
Service cost
 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
1

 
$
—

Interest cost
 
4

 
4

 
10

 
11

Expected return on plan assets
 
(2
)
 
(2
)
 
(5
)
 
(5
)
Amortization of prior service credit
 
—

 
—

 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Amortization of loss
 
—

 
—

 
2

 
1

Amortization of transition obligation
 
—

 
1

 
—

 
3

Net periodic cost
 
$
2

 
$
3

 
$
7

 
$
9