0001001 - Document - Cover Page link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1001002 - Statement - STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED INCOME link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1002003 - Statement - STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED COMPREHENSIVE INCOME link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1003004 - Statement - CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1004005 - Statement - STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED CASH FLOWS link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 1005006 - Statement - STATEMENTS OF CONSOLIDATED SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2101101 - Disclosure - Background link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2402401 - Disclosure - Background (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2103102 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2204201 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2305301 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2406402 - Disclosure - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2107103 - Disclosure - Property, Plant and Equipment link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2308302 - Disclosure - Property, Plant and Equipment (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2409403 - Disclosure - Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2110104 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2311303 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2412404 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2413405 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Purchase Price Allocation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2414406 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Identifiable Intangible Assets (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2415407 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Financial Information and Pro Forma (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2116105 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2317304 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2418408 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2419409 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Summary of Contract Assets and Liabilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2420410 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Remaining Performance Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2420410 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition Remaining Performance Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2421411 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2122106 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2323305 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2424412 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2125107 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2326306 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2427413 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters Regulatory Assets and Regulatory Liabilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2428414 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters Houston Electric Base Rate Case (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2429415 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2130108 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2331307 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2432416 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans Stock Based Incentive Compensation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2433417 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans Pension and Postretirement Benefits (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2434418 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans Multi-employer Plan (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2435419 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans Plan Assets (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2436420 - Disclosure - Stock-Based Incentive Compensation Plans and Employee Benefit Plans Change in Control Agreements and Other Employee Matters (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2137109 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2338308 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2439421 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments Derivatives and Hedging (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2440422 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments Summary of Derivative Activity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2141110 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2342309 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2443423 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2144111 - Disclosure - Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2345310 - Disclosure - Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2446424 - Disclosure - Unconsolidated Affiliate (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2147112 - Disclosure - Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) and Securities Related to ZENS (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2348311 - Disclosure - Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) and Securities Related to ZENS (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2449425 - Disclosure - Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) and Securities Related to ZENS (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2150113 - Disclosure - Equity (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2351312 - Disclosure - Equity (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2452426 - Disclosure - Equity (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2153114 - Disclosure - Short Term Borrowings and Long Term Debt link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2354313 - Disclosure - Short Term Borrowings and Long Term Debt (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2455427 - Disclosure - Short Term Borrowings and Long Term Debt Schedule of Debt (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2456428 - Disclosure - Short Term Borrowings and Long Term Debt Long-term Debt (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2157115 - Disclosure - Income Taxes link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2358314 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2459429 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2460430 - Disclosure - Income Taxes Merger with Vectren (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2161116 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2362315 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2463431 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2164117 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2365316 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2466432 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2167118 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2368317 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2469433 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments Financial Data (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2470434 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments Revenues by Products and Services (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2171119 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2372318 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2473435 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2174120 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2375319 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2476436 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2177121 - Disclosure - Leases (Notes) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2278202 - Disclosure - Leases (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2379320 - Disclosure - Leases (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2480437 - Disclosure - Leases (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2181122 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2382321 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 2483438 - Disclosure - Subsequent Events (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink