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Statement - Condensed Statements of Consolidated Cash Flows (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000009 - Statement - Condensed Statements of Consolidated Changes in Equity (Unaudited) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000010 - Statement - Condensed Statements of Consolidated Changes in Equity (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000011 - Statement - Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income (Unaudited) - Houston Electric link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000012 - Statement - Condensed Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Unaudited) - Houston Electric link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000013 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - Houston Electric link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000014 - Statement - Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) - 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Reportable Segments link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000038 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000039 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000040 - Disclosure - Equity link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000041 - Disclosure - Leases link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000042 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Policies) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000043 - Disclosure - New Accounting Pronouncements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000044 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000045 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000046 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000047 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000048 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000049 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000050 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000051 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000052 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000053 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000054 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000055 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000056 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000057 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000058 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000059 - Disclosure - Equity (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000060 - Disclosure - Leases (Tables) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000061 - Disclosure - Background and Basis of Presentation (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000062 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Divestitures Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000063 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Schedule of Assets and Liabilities Classified as Held-For-Sale (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000064 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Schedule of Pre-tax Income (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000065 - Disclosure - Divestitures (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) - Discontinued Operations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000066 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses - Disaggregation of Revenue (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000067 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses - Summary of Contract Assets and Liabilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000068 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses - Remaining Performance Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000068 - Disclosure - Revenue Recognition and Allowance for Credit Losses - Remaining Performance Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000069 - Disclosure - Employee Benefit Plans (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000070 - Disclosure - Regulatory Matters (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000071 - Disclosure - Derivative Instruments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000072 - Disclosure - Fair Value Measurements (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000073 - Disclosure - Goodwill and Other Intangibles (CenterPoint Energy and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000074 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Sale of Equity Securities (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000075 - 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 0000076 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000077 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Securities Classified as Trading (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000078 - Disclosure - Equity Securities and Indexed Debt Securities (ZENS) (CenterPoint Energy) - Schedule of Reference Shares (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000079 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000080 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Debt Transactions (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000081 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Debt Repayments and Redemptions (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000082 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Schedule of Revolving Credit Facilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000083 - Disclosure - Short-term Borrowings and Long-term Debt - Schedule of Utilization of Credit Facilities (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000084 - Disclosure - Income Taxes (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000085 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Narrative (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000086 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Undiscounted Minimum Purchase Obligations (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000087 - Disclosure - Commitments and Contingencies - Schedule of Estimated Accrued Costs (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000088 - Disclosure - Earnings Per Share (CenterPoint Energy) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000089 - Disclosure - Reportable Segments (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000090 - Disclosure - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000091 - Disclosure - Related Party Transactions (Houston Electric and CERC) (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000092 - Disclosure - Equity (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000093 - Disclosure - Leases (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink 0000093 - Disclosure - Leases (Details) link:presentationLink link:calculationLink link:definitionLink