Proposed Merger with Vectren (CenterPoint Energy)	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Proposed Merger with Vectren (CenterPoint Energy) [Text Block]	Proposed Merger with Vectren (CenterPoint Energy) On April 21, 2018, CenterPoint Energy entered into the Merger Agreement. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CenterPoint Energy will acquire Vectren for approximately $6 billion in cash. Upon closing, Vectren will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, upon the closing of the Merger, each share of Vectren common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing will be converted automatically into the right to receive $72.00 in cash per share. CenterPoint Energy expects to finance the Merger with a combination of debt, equity-linked and equity issuances and has obtained commitments by lenders for a Bridge Facility to provide flexibility for the timing of the long-term acquisition financing and fund, in part, amounts payable by CenterPoint Energy in connection with the Merger. All outstanding debt held by Vectren and its subsidiaries will be assumed by CenterPoint Energy at the closing of the Merger. As of June 30, 2018, Vectren and its subsidiaries had outstanding $248 million of short-term debt and $2.0 billion of long-term debt, including current maturities. It is anticipated that Vectren and its subsidiaries will have approximately $2.5 billion of outstanding short-term and long-term debt as of December 31, 2018. Consummation of the Merger is conditioned upon approval by federal regulatory commissions, orders from state regulatory commissions, expiration or termination of the applicable HSR waiting period and approval of the Merger by Vectren shareholders. In June 2018, CenterPoint Energy and Vectren (i) submitted their filings with the FERC and the FCC and pursuant to the HSR Act and (ii) initiated informational proceedings with regulators in Indiana and Ohio. On June 26, 2018, CenterPoint Energy and Vectren received notice from the FTC granting early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act in connection with the Merger. On July 16, 2018, Vectren filed its definitive proxy statement, as supplemented, with the SEC for a special meeting of its shareholders to be held on August 28, 2018 in connection with the Merger. The Merger Agreement contains termination rights for both CenterPoint Energy and Vectren, and provides that, upon termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, CenterPoint Energy would be required to pay a termination fee of $210 million to Vectren and Vectren would be required to pay CenterPoint Energy a termination fee of $150 million. Subject to receipt of required regulatory and statutory approvals and satisfaction and/or waiver of the closing conditions, CenterPoint Energy continues to anticipate closing the Merger in the first quarter of 2019.

Proposed Merger with Vectren (CenterPoint Energy)

On April 21, 2018, CenterPoint Energy entered into the Merger Agreement. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, CenterPoint Energy will acquire Vectren for approximately $6 billion in cash. Upon closing, Vectren will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, upon the closing of the Merger, each share of Vectren common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the closing will be converted automatically into the right to receive $72.00 in cash per share. CenterPoint Energy expects to finance the Merger with a combination of debt, equity-linked and equity issuances and has obtained commitments by lenders for a Bridge Facility to provide flexibility for the timing of the long-term acquisition financing and fund, in part, amounts payable by CenterPoint Energy in connection with the Merger. All outstanding debt held by Vectren and its subsidiaries will be assumed by CenterPoint Energy at the closing of the Merger. As of June 30, 2018, Vectren and its subsidiaries had outstanding $248 million of short-term debt and $2.0 billion of long-term debt, including current maturities. It is anticipated that Vectren and its subsidiaries will have approximately $2.5 billion of outstanding short-term and long-term debt as of December 31, 2018.

Consummation of the Merger is conditioned upon approval by federal regulatory commissions, orders from state regulatory commissions, expiration or termination of the applicable HSR waiting period and approval of the Merger by Vectren shareholders. In June 2018, CenterPoint Energy and Vectren (i) submitted their filings with the FERC and the FCC and pursuant to the HSR Act and (ii) initiated informational proceedings with regulators in Indiana and Ohio. On June 26, 2018, CenterPoint Energy and Vectren received notice from the FTC granting early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act in connection with the Merger. On July 16, 2018, Vectren filed its definitive proxy statement, as supplemented, with the SEC for a special meeting of its shareholders to be held on August 28, 2018 in connection with the Merger.

The Merger Agreement contains termination rights for both CenterPoint Energy and Vectren, and provides that, upon termination of the Merger Agreement under specified circumstances, CenterPoint Energy would be required to pay a termination fee of $210 million to Vectren and Vectren would be required to pay CenterPoint Energy a termination fee of $150 million. Subject to receipt of required regulatory and statutory approvals and satisfaction and/or waiver of the closing conditions, CenterPoint Energy continues to anticipate closing the Merger in the first quarter of 2019.