Employee Benefit Plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

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 September 30,						Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2010			2011			2010			2011
				(in millions)
Interest cost	$	4		$	4		$	12		$	12
Expected return on plan assets		(2	)		(2	)		(7	)		(6	)
Amortization of transition obligation		2			1			5			4
Amortization of net loss		-			1			-			1
Net periodic cost	$	4		$	4		$	10		$	11

CenterPoint Houston expects to contribute approximately $8 million to its postretirement benefit plan in 2011, of which $-0- and $5 million, respectively, was contributed during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2011.