Long-term Debt (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Debt Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Line of Credit Facilities [Table Text Block]

Credit Facilities. The Registrants had the following revolving credit facilities as of September 30, 2020:

Execution Date	Registrant	Size of Facility		Draw Rate of LIBOR plus (1)	Financial Covenant Limit on Debt for Borrowed Money to Capital Ratio		Debt for Borrowed Money to Capital Ratio as of September 30, 2020 (2)	Termination Date
		(in millions)
March 3, 2016	CenterPoint Energy	$	3,300	1.500%	65%	(3)	53.4%	March 3, 2022
July 14, 2017	CenterPoint Energy (4)	400		1.125%	65%		52.5%	July 14, 2022
March 3, 2016	Houston Electric	300		1.250%	65%	(3)	53.2%	March 3, 2022
March 3, 2016	CERC	900		1.125%	65%		52.7%	March 3, 2022
	Total	$	4,900

(1)Based on current credit ratings.

(2)As defined in the revolving credit facility agreements, excluding Securitization Bonds.

(3)For CenterPoint Energy and Houston Electric, the financial covenant limit will temporarily increase from 65% to 70% if Houston Electric experiences damage from a natural disaster in its service territory and CenterPoint Energy certifies to the administrative agent that Houston Electric has incurred system restoration costs reasonably likely to exceed $100 million in a consecutive 12-month period, all or part of which Houston Electric intends to seek to recover through securitization financing. Such temporary increase in the financial covenant would be in effect from the date CenterPoint Energy delivers its certification until the earliest to occur of (i) the completion of the securitization financing, (ii) the first anniversary of CenterPoint Energy’s certification or (iii) the revocation of such certification.

(4)This credit facility was issued by VUHI, is guaranteed by SIGECO, Indiana Gas and VEDO and includes a $10 million swing line sublimit and a $20 million letter of credit sublimit. This credit facility backstops VUHI’s commercial paper program.

On September 30, 2020, VCC terminated its $200 million credit agreement dated as of July 14, 2017 after determining that it was no longer necessary for financing purposes. VCC did not incur any penalties in connection with the early termination.

The Registrants, including the subsidiaries of CenterPoint Energy discussed above, were in compliance with all financial debt covenants as of September 30, 2020.

The table below reflects the utilization of the Registrants’ respective revolving credit facilities:

	September 30, 2020								December 31, 2019
Registrant	Loans		Letters of Credit		Commercial Paper		Weighted Average Interest Rate		Loans		Letters of Credit		Commercial Paper		Weighted Average Interest Rate
	(in millions, except weighted average interest rate)
CenterPoint Energy (1)	$	—	$	8	$	638	0.19	%	$	—	$	6	$	1,633	1.95	%
CenterPoint Energy (2)	—		—		176		0.19	%	—		—		268		2.08	%
Houston Electric	—		—		—		—	%	—		—		—		—	%
CERC	—		—		407		0.17	%	—		1		377		1.94	%
Total	$	—	$	8	$	1,221			$	—	$	7	$	2,278

(1)CenterPoint Energy’s outstanding commercial paper generally has maturities of 60 days or less.

(2)This credit facility was issued by VUHI and is guaranteed by SIGECO, Indiana Gas and VEDO.