v3.25.2
Employee Benefit Plans
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2025
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
Employee Benefit Plans Employee Benefit Plans
The Registrants’ net periodic cost, before considering amounts subject to overhead allocations for capital expenditure projects or for amounts subject to deferral for regulatory purposes, includes the following components relating to pension and postretirement benefits:

Pension Benefits (CenterPoint Energy)
Three Months Ended June 30,Six Months Ended June 30,
2025202420252024
(in millions)
Service cost (1)$6 $6 $12 $12 
Interest cost (2)19 18 39 37 
Expected return on plan assets (2)(20)(18)(40)(37)
Amortization of net loss (2)7 7 14 14 
Net periodic cost$12 $13 $25 $26 

(1)Included in Operation and maintenance expense in CenterPoint Energy’s Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of amounts capitalized and regulatory deferrals.
(2)Included in Other income, net in CenterPoint Energy’s Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of regulatory deferrals.

Postretirement Benefits
Three Months Ended June 30,
20252024
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERCCenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Service cost (1)$— $— $— $1 $— $— 
Interest cost (2)4 2 1 3 2 1 
Expected return on plan assets (2)(2)(1)(1)(2)(1)— 
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)
— (1)— — (2)— 
Amortization of net loss (2)(3)(2)(1)(2)(1)— 
Net periodic cost (benefit)$(1)$(2)$(1)$— $(2)$1 
Six Months Ended June 30,
20252024
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERCCenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Service cost (1)$— $— $— $1 $— $— 
Interest cost (2)
7 3 2 6 3 2 
Expected return on plan assets (2)
(3)(2)(1)(3)(2)— 
Amortization of prior service cost (credit) (2)
(1)(2)1 (1)(3)1 
Amortization of net loss (2)
(5)(3)(2)(4)(2)(1)
Net periodic cost (benefit)$(2)$(4)$— $(1)$(4)$2 
(1)Included in Operation and maintenance expense in each of the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of amounts capitalized and regulatory deferrals.
(2)Included in Other income (expense), net in each of the Registrants’ respective Condensed Statements of Consolidated Income, net of regulatory deferrals.
The table below reflects the expected contributions to be made to the pension and postretirement benefit plans during 2025:
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Expected contributions to pension plans
$116 $— $— 
Expected contributions to postretirement benefit plans
9 1 5 

The table below reflects the contributions made to the pension and postretirement benefit plans during the periods presented:
Three Months Ended June 30, 2025Six Months Ended June 30, 2025
CenterPoint EnergyHouston ElectricCERCCenterPoint Energy Houston ElectricCERC
(in millions)
Pension plans
$17 $— $— $80 $— $— 
Postretirement benefit plans4 1 2 7 1 4