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Employee Benefit Plans
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]  
Employee Benefit Plans [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,
 
 
2017
 
2016
 
 
(in millions)
Interest cost
 
$
2

 
$
3

Expected return on plan assets
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Amortization of prior service credit
 
(1
)
 
(1
)
Net periodic cost
 
$
—

 
$
1



Houston Electric expects to contribute approximately $9 million to its postretirement benefit plan in 2017, of which approximately $2 million was contributed during the three months ended March 31, 2017.