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 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 - New Accounting Pronouncements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952173 - Disclosure - Held for Sale and Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952174 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses 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 - Derivative Instruments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952178 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952179 - Disclosure - Goodwill (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952180 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952181 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952182 - Disclosure - Income Taxes link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952183 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952184 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952185 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952186 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952187 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952188 - Disclosure - Equity link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9952189 - Disclosure - Leases link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954471 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954472 - Disclosure - Held for Sale and Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954473 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954474 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954475 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954476 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954477 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954478 - Disclosure - Goodwill (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954479 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954480 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954481 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954482 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954483 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954484 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954485 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Information (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954486 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954487 - Disclosure - Equity (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954488 - Disclosure - Leases (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954489 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954490 - Disclosure - Held for Sale and Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954491 - Disclosure - Held for Sale and Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Asset and Liabilities Held for Sale (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954492 - Disclosure - Held for Sale and Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Pre Tax Income (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954493 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954494 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses - Schedule of Contract Assets and Liabilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954495 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954496 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters - Schedule of Allowed Equity Return Recognized (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954497 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954498 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments - Interest Rate Hedging and Weather Hedges (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954499 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments - Schedule of Derivative Activity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954500 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments - Gross Indexed Securities and Credit Risk Contingent Features (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954501 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Measured On Recurring Basis (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954502 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements - Schedule of Estimated Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954503 - Disclosure - Goodwill (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954504 - 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 9954505 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Securities Classified as Trading (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954506 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954507 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Reference Shares (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954508 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954509 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Schedule of Revolving Credit Facilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954510 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Schedule of Utilization of Credit Facilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954511 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954512 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Purchase Commitments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954513 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Undiscounted Minimum Purchase Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954514 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Guarantees and Product Warranties (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954515 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Legal, Environmental and Other Matters (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954516 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Estimated Accrued Costs (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954517 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954518 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954519 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Information (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954520 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954521 - Disclosure - Equity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954522 - Disclosure - Equity - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954523 - Disclosure - Leases (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 9954523 - Disclosure - Leases (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink