0001001 - Document - Document and Entity Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1001002 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED INCOME (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1002003 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1003004 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1004005 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1005006 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CHANGES IN EQUITY link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2101101 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2202201 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2403401 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2104102 - Disclosure - New Accounting Pronouncements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2305301 - Disclosure - New Accounting Pronouncements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2106103 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2307302 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2408402 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2109104 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2310303 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2411403 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2412404 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Summary of Contract Assets and Liabilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2413405 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Remaining Performance Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2413405 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Remaining Performance Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2414406 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Provision for Doubtful Accounts (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2115105 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2316304 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2417407 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2118106 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2319305 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2420408 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2121107 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2322306 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2423409 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments Derivatives and Hedging (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2424410 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments Summary of Derivative Activity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2125108 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2326307 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2427411 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2128109 - Disclosure - Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2329308 - Disclosure - Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2430412 - Disclosure - Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2131110 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2332309 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2433413 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2134111 - Disclosure - Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) and Securities Related to ZENS (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2335310 - Disclosure - Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) and Securities Related to ZENS (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2436414 - Disclosure - Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) and Securities Related to ZENS (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2137112 - Disclosure - Long-term Debt link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2338311 - Disclosure - Long-term Debt (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2439415 - Disclosure - Long-term Debt (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2140113 - Disclosure - Income Taxes link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2341312 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2442416 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2143114 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2344313 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2445417 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2146115 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2347314 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2448418 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2149116 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2350315 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2451419 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1206202 - Statement - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1307316 - Statement - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1408420 - Statement - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2152117 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2353317 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2454421 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2155118 - Disclosure - Equity link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2356318 - Disclosure - Equity (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2457422 - Disclosure - Equity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2158119 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2359319 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2460423 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink