0000001 - Document - Cover Page link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952151 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED INCOME (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952152 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952153 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952154 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952155 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952156 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952157 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CHANGES IN EQUITY (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952158 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CHANGES IN EQUITY (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952159 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED INCOME (Unaudited) - HOUSTON ELECTRIC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952160 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) - HOUSTON ELECTRIC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952161 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) - HOUSTON ELECTRIC (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952162 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) - HOUSTON ELECTRIC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952163 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CHANGES IN EQUITY (Unaudited) - HOUSTON ELECTRIC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952164 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED INCOME (Unaudited) - CERC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952165 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) - CERC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952166 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (Unaudited) - CERC (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952167 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) - CERC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952168 - Statement - CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) - CERC (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952169 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS (Unaudited) - CERC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952170 - Statement - CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CHANGES IN EQUITY (Unaudited) - CERC link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952171 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952172 - Disclosure - Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952173 - Disclosure - Acquisition and Divestiture (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952174 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952175 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952176 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952177 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952178 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952179 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952180 - Disclosure - Income Taxes link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952181 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952182 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952183 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952184 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952185 - Disclosure - Equity link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952186 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955511 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955512 - Disclosure - Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955513 - Disclosure - Acquisition and Divestiture (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955514 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955515 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955516 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955517 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955518 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955519 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955520 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955521 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955522 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955523 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955524 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955525 - Disclosure - Equity (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955526 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955527 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955528 - Disclosure - Accounting Policies and Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955529 - Disclosure - Acquisition and Divestiture (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955530 - Disclosure - Acquisition and Divestiture (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Schedule of Asset and Liabilities Held for Sale (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955531 - Disclosure - Acquisition and Divestiture (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Schedule of Pre Tax Income (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955532 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition - Schedule of Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955533 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition - Schedule of Contract With Customers (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955534 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955535 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters - Schedule of Allowed Equity Return (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955536 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955537 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Measured On Recurring Basis (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955538 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Estimated Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955539 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Gain (Loss) On Equity Securities (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955540 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Securities Classified as Trading (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955541 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955542 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Reference Shares (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955543 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955544 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Schedule of Revolving Credit Facilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955545 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Schedule of Utilization of Credit Facilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955546 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955547 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Undiscounted Minimum Purchase Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955548 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Guarantees (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955549 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Legal, Environmental and Other Matters (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955550 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Estimated Accrued Costs (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955551 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955552 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Basic and Diluted Earnings Per Share (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955553 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments - Schedule of Financial Data (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955554 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955555 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments - Schedule of Interest Income and Expenditures for Long-Lived Assets (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955556 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) - Schedule of Money Pool Activity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955557 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) - Schedule of Affiliated-Related Net Interest Income (Expense) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955558 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) - Schedule of Amounts Charged For Services (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955559 - Disclosure - Equity - Schedule of Dividends Declared and Paid (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955560 - Disclosure - Equity - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955561 - Disclosure - Equity - Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955562 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9955563 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events - Schedule of Dividends Declared (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink