Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 136	$ 147
Investment in marketable securities	923	871
Accounts receivable, less allowance for credit losses	651	676
Accrued unbilled revenues, less allowance for credit losses	270	505
Natural gas and coal inventory	121	203
Materials and supplies	319	297
Non-trading derivative assets	6	0
Taxes receivable	78	82
Current assets held for sale	2,192	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	483	139
Total current assets	5,179	2,920
Property, Plant and Equipment:
Property, plant and equipment	32,004	32,514
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	9,908	10,152
Property, plant and equipment, net	22,096	22,362
Other Assets:
Goodwill	4,294	4,697
Regulatory assets	3,427	2,094
Investment in unconsolidated affiliates	882	783
Preferred units – unconsolidated affiliate	363	363
Other non-current assets	225	252
Total other assets	9,191	8,189
Total Assets	36,466	33,471
Current Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings	3	24
Current portion of VIE Securitization Bonds long-term debt	215	211
Indexed debt, net	12	15
Current portion of other long-term debt	63	1,669
Indexed debt securities derivative	1,004	953
Accounts payable	797	853
Taxes accrued	203	265
Interest accrued	155	145
Dividends accrued	0	136
Customer deposits	109	119
Non-trading derivative liabilities	0	3
Current liabilities held for sale	472	0
Other current liabilities	336	432
Total current liabilities	3,369	4,825
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes, net	3,698	3,603
Non-trading derivative liabilities	14	27
Benefit obligations	665	680
Regulatory liabilities	3,051	3,448
Other non-current liabilities	946	1,019
Total other liabilities	8,374	8,777
Long-term Debt:
VIE Securitization Bonds, net	424	536
Other long-term debt, net	15,429	10,985
Total long-term debt, net	15,853	11,521
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 14)
Shareholders' Equity :
Preferred stock	1,739	2,363
Common stock	6	6
Additional paid-in capital	7,553	6,914
Retained earnings (Accumulated deficit)	(343)	(845)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(85)	(90)
Total shareholders’ equity	8,870	8,348
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	36,466	33,471
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	106	139
Accounts receivable, less allowance for credit losses	38	23
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	17	15
Other Assets:
Regulatory assets	542	633
Houston Electric
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	120	139
Accounts receivable, less allowance for credit losses	313	268
Accrued unbilled revenues, less allowance for credit losses	116	113
Accounts and notes receivable–affiliated companies	125	7
Materials and supplies	209	195
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	28	47
Total current assets	911	769
Property, Plant and Equipment:
Property, plant and equipment	14,296	13,593
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	4,026	3,930
Property, plant and equipment, net	10,270	9,663
Other Assets:
Regulatory assets	803	848
Other non-current assets	33	36
Total other assets	836	884
Total Assets	12,017	11,316
Current Liabilities:
Current portion of VIE Securitization Bonds long-term debt	215	211
Current portion of other long-term debt	0	402
Accounts payable	413	281
Accounts and notes payable–affiliated companies	37	96
Taxes accrued	149	158
Interest accrued	84	71
Other current liabilities	114	117
Total current liabilities	1,012	1,336
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes, net	1,069	1,041
Benefit obligations	75	75
Regulatory liabilities	1,114	1,252
Other non-current liabilities	100	95
Total other liabilities	2,358	2,463
Long-term Debt:
VIE Securitization Bonds, net	424	536
Other long-term debt, net	4,956	3,870
Total long-term debt, net	5,380	4,406
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 14)
Shareholders' Equity :
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	2,548	2,548
Retained earnings (Accumulated deficit)	719	563
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	0	0
Total shareholders’ equity	3,267	3,111
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	12,017	11,316
Houston Electric | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	106	139
Accounts receivable, less allowance for credit losses	38	23
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	17	15
Other Assets:
Regulatory assets	542	633
CERC Corp
Current Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	1	1
Accounts receivable, less allowance for credit losses	199	233
Accrued unbilled revenues, less allowance for credit losses	80	260
Accounts and notes receivable–affiliated companies	10	8
Natural gas and coal inventory	84	121
Materials and supplies	64	58
Current assets held for sale	1,935	0
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	241	26
Total current assets	2,614	707
Property, Plant and Equipment:
Property, plant and equipment	7,519	8,972
Less: accumulated depreciation and amortization	2,001	2,414
Property, plant and equipment, net	5,518	6,558
Other Assets:
Goodwill	611	757
Regulatory assets	1,598	220
Other non-current assets	38	66
Total other assets	2,247	1,043
Total Assets	10,379	8,308
Current Liabilities:
Short-term borrowings	3	24
Accounts payable	226	296
Accounts and notes payable–affiliated companies	44	50
Taxes accrued	55	74
Interest accrued	29	28
Customer deposits	65	76
Current liabilities held for sale	472	0
Other current liabilities	127	178
Total current liabilities	1,021	726
Other Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes, net	619	584
Benefit obligations	83	83
Regulatory liabilities	955	1,226
Other non-current liabilities	582	694
Total other liabilities	2,239	2,587
Long-term Debt:
Total long-term debt, net	4,343	2,428
Commitments and Contingencies (Note 14)
Shareholders' Equity :
Common stock	0	0
Additional paid-in capital	2,046	2,046
Retained earnings (Accumulated deficit)	720	511
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	10	10
Total shareholders’ equity	2,776	2,567
Total Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity	$ 10,379	$ 8,308