Employee Benefit Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits Disclosure [Text Block]

Employee Benefit Plans

Houston Electric’s employees participate in CenterPoint Energy’s postretirement benefit plan. Houston Electric’s net periodic cost includes the following components relating to postretirement benefits:

	Three Months Ended March 31,
	2016			2015
	(in millions)
Interest cost	$	3		$	3
Expected return on plan assets	(1		)	(2		)
Amortization of prior service credit	(1		)	—
Amortization of net loss	—			1
Net periodic cost	$	1		$	2

Houston Electric expects to contribute approximately $7 million to its postretirement benefit plan in 2016, of which $2 million was contributed during the three months ended March 31, 2016.