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Fair Value Measurements (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]  
Fair Value, Assets Measured on a Recurring Basis [Table Text Block]
The following tables present information about the Registrants’ assets and liabilities (including derivatives that are presented net) measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, and indicate the fair value hierarchy of the valuation techniques utilized by the Registrants to determine such fair value.

CenterPoint Energy
December 31, 2020December 31, 2019

Level 1		Level 2Level 3Total
Level 1		Level 2Level 3Total
Assets(in millions)
Corporate equities$873 $— $— $873 $825 $— $— $825 
Investments, including money market funds (1)
43 — — 43 49 — — 49 
Total assets$916 $— $— $916 $874 $— $— $874 
Liabilities    
Indexed debt securities derivative
$— $953 $— $953 $— $893 $— $893 
Interest rate derivatives
— 20 — 20 — 10 — 10 
Natural gas derivatives— 10 — 10 — 22 — 22 
Total liabilities$— $983 $— $983 $— $925 $— $925 
Houston Electric
December 31, 2020December 31, 2019

Level 1		Level 2Level 3Total
Level 1		Level 2Level 3Total
Assets(in millions)
Investments, including money market funds (1)
$26 $— $— $26 $32 $— $— $32 
Total assets$26 $— $— $26 $32 $— $— $32 

CERC
December 31, 2020December 31, 2019

Level 1		Level 2Level 3Total
Level 1		Level 2Level 3Total
Assets(in millions)
Corporate equities$2 $— $— $2 $2 $— $— $2 
Investments, including money market funds (1)
11 — — 11 11 — — 11 
Total assets$13 $— $— $13 $13 $— $— $13 

(1)Amounts are included in Prepaid and Other Current Assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Estimated Fair Value of Financial Instruments, Debt Instruments [Table Text Block]
The fair values of cash and cash equivalents, investments in debt and equity securities classified as “trading” and short-term borrowings are estimated to be approximately equivalent to carrying amounts and have been excluded from the table below. The carrying amounts of non-trading derivative assets and liabilities and CenterPoint Energy’s ZENS indexed debt securities derivative are stated at fair value and are excluded from the table below. The fair value of each debt instrument is determined by multiplying the principal amount of each debt instrument by a combination of historical trading prices and comparable issue data. These liabilities, which are not measured at fair value in the Registrants’ Consolidated Balance Sheets, but for which the fair value is disclosed, would be classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.
 December 31, 2020December 31, 2019
 
CenterPoint Energy (1)
Houston Electric (1)
CERC
CenterPoint Energy (1)
Houston Electric (1)
CERC
Long-term debt, including current maturities
(in millions)
Carrying amount
$13,401 $5,019 $2,428 $15,093 $4,950 $2,546 
Fair value
15,226 5,957 2,855 16,067 5,457 2,803 

(1)Includes Securitization Bond debt.