1.0.0.3 false (1) Background false 1 $ false false u000 Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 u002 Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 2 Notes to Financial Statements [Abstract] 0 cnp_NotesToFinancialStatementsAbstract cnp false na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 3 Background 1 us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsDisclosureTextBlock us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false false 0 0 <div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="left"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">(1)       Background</font></div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br /></div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 18pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CenterPoint Energy) is a public utility holding company. CenterPoint Energy’s operating subsidiaries own and operate electric transmission and distribution facilities, natural gas distribution facilities, interstate pipelines and natural gas gathering, processing and treating facilities. As of December 31, 2009, CenterPoint Energy’s indirect wholly owned subsidiaries included:</font></div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br /></div> <div> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent_0" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> <tr valign="top"> <td style="WIDTH: 25.2pt"> <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">  </font></div> </td> <td style="WIDTH: 18pt"> <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">•</font></div> </td> <td> <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC (CenterPoint Houston), which engages in the electric transmission and distribution business in a 5,000-square mile area of the Texas Gulf Coast that includes the city of Houston; and</font></div> </td> </tr></table> </div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br /></div> <div> <table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" id="hangingindent_1" width="100%" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"> <tr valign="top"> <td style="WIDTH: 25.2pt"> <div><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">  </font></div> </td> <td style="WIDTH: 18pt"> <div style="MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">•</font></div> </td> <td> <div align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp. (CERC Corp. and, together with its subsidiaries, CERC), which owns and operates natural gas distribution systems in six states. Subsidiaries of CERC own interstate natural gas pipelines and gas gathering systems and provide various ancillary services. A wholly owned subsidiary of CERC Corp. offers variable and fixed-price physical natural gas supplies primarily to commercial and industrial customers and electric and gas utilities.</font></div> </td> </tr></table> </div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br /></div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 18pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">For a description of CenterPoint Energy’s reportable business segments, see Note 14.</font></div> <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br /></div> </div> (1)       Background CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CenterPoint Energy) is a public utility holding company. false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 1 2 false UnKnown UnKnown UnKnown false true