CenterPoint Energy reports strong Q2 2021 earnings results
2021-08-05T05:00:00Z

​Houston - August 5, 2021 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) today reported income available to common shareholders of $221 million, or $0.37 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2021, compared to income available to common shareholders of $59 million, or $0.11 per diluted share, for the second quarter of 2020.

  • Q2 2021 earnings of $0.37 per diluted share; $0.36 per diluted share on a non-GAAP basis, including results from utility operations of $0.28 per diluted share
  • Raising 2021 Utility EPS guidance (“Utility EPS”) range to $1.25 - $1.27 and reiterating 6% - 8% Utility EPS 5-year annual growth rate target
  • On path to deliver 10% compound annual rate base growth over 5 years through $16 billion 5-year capital plan, with additional investment opportunities from recent Texas legislative session
  • CenterPoint to host an Analyst Day on September 23rd in Houston, Texas

On a non-GAAP basis, second quarter 2021 earnings were $0.36 per diluted share, with $0.28 per diluted share from utility operations, and $0.08 per diluted share from midstream investments. This compared to $0.18 per diluted share from utility operations and $0.03 per diluted share from midstream investments in second quarter 2020. Both quarters included some one-time drivers. The second quarter 2020 Utility EPS included an unfavorable COVID-related impact of $0.06, while the second quarter 2021 Utility EPS included a favorable income tax benefit of $0.03. Other notable variances in Utility EPS for the quarter included $0.04 of favorable variance from organic growth and rate recovery, which was partially offset by a $0.02 impact attributable to the May 2020 equity issuance.

"CenterPoint's six-month financial performance in 2021 has been strong," said Dave Lesar, President and Chief Executive Officer of CenterPoint Energy. "We are raising our 2021 Utility EPS guidance range to $1.25-$1.27 per diluted share. This projected 8% growth in 2021 Utility EPS would put us at the high-end of our 6 to 8% Utility EPS annual growth target."

Lesar added, "Regarding our capital investments, we have invested approximately $1.5 billion for the first six months of this year and are on track to invest approximately $3.4 billion for the full year 2021. These projects will add to the safety and reliability of our system for the benefit of our customers and our investors. Additionally, we now have better line of sight to additional capital investment opportunities beyond the 5-year, $16 billion investment plan we previously announced, including opportunities from the recent Texas legislative session."

"While we are keen to discuss CenterPoint's great future, we are planning to discuss exciting longer-term strategy updates at our Analyst Day which will take place on September 23rd here in Houston. Through this forum, we plan to update investors on our longer-term business plan, earnings capacity, financial metrics, and net zero emissions targets," said Dave Lesar.

Earnings Outlook

Given the recently announced merger between Enable and Energy Transfer, CenterPoint Energy will only be presenting a Utility EPS guidance range for 2021 as Enable did not provide 2021 guidance during its recent earnings call.

In addition to presenting its financial results in accordance with GAAP, including presentation of income (loss) available to common shareholders and diluted earnings (loss) per share, CenterPoint Energy provides guidance based on non-GAAP income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share. Generally, a non-GAAP financial measure is a numerical measure of a company's historical or future financial performance that excludes or includes amounts that are not normally excluded or included in the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.

Management evaluates CenterPoint Energy's financial performance in part based on non-GAAP income and non-GAAP earnings per share. Management believes that presenting these non-GAAP financial measures enhances an investor's understanding of CenterPoint Energy's overall financial performance by providing them with an additional meaningful and relevant comparison of current and anticipated future results across periods. The adjustments made in these non-GAAP financial measures exclude items that Management believes do not most accurately reflect the company's fundamental business performance. These excluded items are reflected in the reconciliation tables of this news release, where applicable. CenterPoint Energy's non-GAAP income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share measures should be considered as a supplement to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, income available to common shareholders and diluted earnings per share, which respectively are the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. These non-GAAP financial measures also may be different than non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies.

(1) Utility EPS Guidance Range

  •  The Utility EPS guidance range includes net income from Electric and Natural Gas segments, as well as after tax Corporate and Other operating income and an allocation of corporate overhead based upon the Utility's relative earnings contribution. Corporate overhead consists primarily of interest expense, preferred stock dividend requirements, and other items directly attributable to the parent along with the associated income taxes.
  • The Utility EPS guidance excludes:
    • Earnings or losses from the change in value of ZENS and related securities
    • Certain expenses associated with Vectren merger integration
    • Midstream Investments segment and associated income from the Enable preferred units and a corresponding amount of debt in addition to an allocation of associated corporate overhead and impact, including related expenses, associated with the merger between Enable and Energy Transfer
    • Cost associated with the early extinguishment of debt
    • Gain and impact, including related expenses, associated with gas LDC sales

In providing this guidance, CenterPoint Energy does not consider the items noted above and other potential impacts such as changes in accounting standards, impairments or other unusual items, which could have a material impact on GAAP reported results for the applicable guidance period. The 2021 Utility EPS guidance range also considers assumptions for certain significant variables that may impact earnings, such as customer growth and usage including normal weather, throughput, recovery of capital invested, effective tax rates, financing activities and related interest rates, and regulatory and judicial proceedings. In addition, the 2021 Utility EPS guidance range assumes a continued re-opening of the economy in CenterPoint Energy's service territories throughout 2021. To the extent actual results deviate from these assumptions, the 2021 Utility EPS guidance range may not be met or the projected annual Utility EPS growth rate may change. CenterPoint Energy is unable to present a quantitative reconciliation of forward-looking non-GAAP diluted earnings per share because changes in the value of ZENS and related securities, future impairments, and other unusual items are not estimable and are difficult to predict due to various factors outside of management's control.

(2) Midstream Investments EPS Expected Range

Midstream guidance is not initiated at this time as a result of a pending merger between Enable and Energy Transfer. CenterPoint Energy will continue to record its share of Enable's earnings as well as basis difference accretion, earnings from the Enable preferred distributions net of an associated amount of debt, interest on the intercompany note between CenterPoint Energy and CenterPoint Energy Midstream, and an allocation of corporate overhead based on Midstream Investment segment's relative earnings contribution until the transaction closes.

Upon closing of the transaction, CenterPoint Energy's investment in Energy Transfer will be accounted for as an equity method investment with a fair value option. Following the closing of the transaction, CenterPoint Energy will establish Midstream Investments EPS expected range based on the distributions from Energy Transfer and the debt and corporate allocations previously described as a component of our Midstream Investments, excluding market-to-market gains or losses recorded for the Energy Transfer investments.

Filing of Form 10-Q for CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

Today, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. A copy of that report is available on the company's website, under the Investors section. Investors and others should note that we may announce material information using SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls, webcasts, and the Investor Relations page of our website.  In the future, we will continue to use these channels to distribute material information about the company and to communicate important information about the company, key personnel, corporate initiatives, regulatory updates and other matters.  Information that we post on our website could be deemed material; therefore we encourage investors, the media, our customers, business partners and others interested in our company to review the information we post on our website.

Webcast of Earnings Conference Call

CenterPoint Energy's management will host an earnings conference call on Thursday, August 5, 2021, at 7:00 a.m. Central time/8:00 a.m. Eastern time. Interested parties may listen to a live audio broadcast of the conference call on the company's website under the Investors section. A replay of the call can be accessed approximately two hours after the completion of the call and will be archived on the website for at least one year.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. As of June 30, 2021, the company owned approximately $36 billion in assets and also owned 53.7 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, LP, a publicly traded master limited partnership that owns, operates and develops strategically located natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With approximately 9,500 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

Forward-looking Statements

This news release includes, and the earnings conference call will include, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this news release, the words "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "goal," "intend," "may," "objective," "plan," "potential," "predict," "projection," "should," "target," "will" or other similar words are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon assumptions of management which are believed to be reasonable at the time made and are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Actual events and results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Any statements in this news release or on the earnings conference call regarding capital investments, the reopening of the economy, rate base growth and our ability to achieve it, our Analyst Day, future earnings and guidance, including long-term growth rate, and future financial performance and results of operations, including with respect to regulatory actions, the expected closing of, or proceeds from the merger between Enable and Energy Transfer or the sale of our Arkansas and Oklahoma gas LDC businesses, customer rate affordability, value creation, opportunities and expectations, ESG strategy, including transition to Net-Zero, or ESG plan rollout and any other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Each forward-looking statement contained in this news release or discussed on the earnings conference call speaks only as of the date of this release or the earnings conference call.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the provided forward-looking information include, but are not limited to, risks and uncertainties relating to: (1) the performance of Enable, the amount of cash distributions CenterPoint Energy receives from Enable, and the value of CenterPoint Energy's interest in Enable;

(2) the integration of the businesses acquired in the merger with Vectren Corporation (Vectren), including the integration of technology systems, and the ability to realize additional benefits and commercial opportunities from the merger;

(3) financial market and general economic conditions, including access to debt and equity capital and the effect on sales, prices and costs; (4) industrial, commercial and residential growth in CenterPoint Energy's service territories and changes in market demand; (5) actions by credit rating agencies, including any potential downgrades to credit ratings; (6) the timing and impact of regulatory proceedings and actions and legal proceedings, including those related to the February 2021 winter storm event; (7) legislative decisions, including tax and developments related to the environment such as global climate change, air emissions, carbon, waste water discharges and the handling of coal combustion residuals, among others, and CenterPoint Energy's carbon reduction targets; (8) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; (9) the recording of impairment charges, including any impairments related to CenterPoint Energy's investment in Enable; (10) weather variations and CenterPoint Energy's ability to mitigate weather impacts, including impacts from the February 2021 winter storm event; (11) changes in business plans; (12) CenterPoint Energy's ability to fund and invest planned capital, and timely and appropriate rate actions that allow recovery of costs and a reasonable return on investment, including costs associated with the February 2021 winter storm event; (13) CenterPoint Energy's or Enable's potential business strategies and strategic initiatives, restructurings, joint ventures and acquisitions or dispositions of assets or businesses, including the announced sale of our Natural Gas businesses in Arkansas and Oklahoma, which may not be completed or result in the benefits anticipated by CenterPoint Energy, and the proposed merger between Enable and Energy Transfer, which may not be completed or result in the benefits anticipated by CenterPoint Energy or Enable; (14) CenterPoint Energy's ability to execute operations and maintenance management initiatives; and (15) other factors discussed in CenterPoint Energy's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 and June 30, 2021 and 2020 Form 10-K, including in the "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Information" sections of such reports, and other reports CenterPoint Energy or its subsidiaries may file from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

 

 Recent News

 

 
CenterPoint Energy Activates Emergency Operations Center to Prepare for Potential Impacts from Tropical Depression 2 as Early as Thursday

National Hurricane Center forecasts Tropical Depression 2 to potentially bring impacts to the southeast Texas coast later this week and weekend

Actions CenterPoint Energy is taking to prepare include monitoring weather conditions 24/7, inspecting power lines, clearing high-risk vegetation, and coordinating with emergency partners.

Customers urged to sign up for Power Alert Service® to get latest updates about their service, activate safety plans, and prepare now for heavy precipitation and high winds.​

​HOUSTON — July 20, 2026 — Today, CenterPoint Energy activated its Emergency Operations Center and is taking a series of actions to prepare for potential impacts of Tropical Depression 2, which is forecast to potentially bring impacts to the southeast Texas coast later this week and weekend. As of 12:00 p.m. today, Tropical Depression 2 is expected to bring winds of 30-40 mph and isolated locally heavy rainfall primarily along the coast.

With the storm approaching, CenterPoint is urging all customers to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive important updates about their gas and electric service via text, email or phone calls, including outage details and estimated restoration times. 

“Our CenterPoint Energy team is taking action and we are prepared to respond to potential impacts to our system from Tropical Depression 2. We have activated our Emergency Operations Center as we continue closely monitoring active weather along the Gulf Coast. With the storm forecast to reach Greater Houston by Friday, if any weather-related outages occur, our crews will be ready to respond and restore power safely and as quickly as possible. We urge customers to stay aware of evolving weather conditions and have a plan to stay safe," said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's Vice President, Resilience and Capital Delivery and Incident Commander.

CenterPoint's Emergency Preparedness Actions

To support its Greater Houston customers and communities, CenterPoint continues taking the following actions to prepare for Tropical Depression 2:

  • Activating Emergency Operations Center: Preparing for potential storm impacts and coordinating local preparedness efforts. 
  • Inspecting and testing critical electrical equipment: Inspecting power lines and electric substations across the Greater Houston area and conducting repairs as needed.
  • Trimming and removing high-risk vegetation: Deploying crews and contract personnel to inspect and clear hazardous vegetation from power lines to prepare for potential high winds and precipitation.
  • ​ Keeping customers informed: Providing information directly to customers via email, phone, text or other channels to keep them informed and prepared.  
  • ​ Conducting outreach to critical care customers: Reaching out to identified Critical Care Residential and Chronic Condition Residential electric customers by email, phone and/or text to make them aware of the potential for storm-related outages.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials regarding preparedness activities.
  • Providing operational updates for customers and communities: Sharing important information updates about CenterPoint's preparation activities and readiness posture daily.

Emergency Communications: Sign Up for Power Alert Service®

In preparation for Tropical Depression 2, CenterPoint is encouraging its customers to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text or email. As part of CenterPoint's overall emergency communications efforts, customers can stay up to date on local outages with CenterPoint's cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, which allows customers to see outages and restoration times by county, city and zip code.

Emergency Preparations: What Customers Can Do to Stay Safe

To help ensure their safety, CenterPoint is encouraging all its customers and their families to prepare in advance for extreme weather by having a safety plan ready, especially those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment or medical needs. Customers can find specific safety tips to help them prepare at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter or at Ready.gov.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on social media and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc. 
As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

​

CenterPoint Energy Closely Monitoring Tropical Depression 2 and Taking Actions to Prepare Ahead of Potential Impacts across Greater Houston

​​To help keep its customers and communities safe, CenterPoint is actively monitoring evolving weather conditions and National Hurricane Center forecasts, taking action by deploying its hurricane/summer storm readiness plans, and coordinating with local officials

Customers urged to sign up for Power Alert Service® to get latest updates about their service, activate safety plans and prepare now for heavy precipitation and high winds which could impact parts of the Greater Houston area as soon as Thursday or Friday.​

HOUSTON — July 19, 2026 — To support its customers and communities, CenterPoint Energy is taking precautionary safety actions including closely monitoring weather conditions and deploying its hurricane/summer storm readiness plans to prepare for Tropical Depression 2. As of 12:00 PM today, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the weather disturbance to a Tropical Depression and expects further upgrades to potentially a Tropical Storm by Monday or Tuesday, with impacts to the Greater Houston area as soon as Thursday. With the storm approaching, CenterPoint urges all customers to register to receive important service-related updates via text, email, or phone call through Power Alert Service®.

“Our teams have been monitoring this weather system for several days and we are taking actions to support our customers ahead of the forecasted Tropical Depression impacts, including continuing to monitor conditions, deploying our readiness plans to be prepared to restore power safely and as quickly as possible. We encourage all customers across the Greater Houston area to prepare and stay safe in anticipation of quickly changing weather conditions," said Nathan Brownell, CenterPoint's Vice President, Resilience and Capital Delivery and Incident Commander.

CenterPoint's Key Preparedness Actions
In preparation for the forecasted Tropical system, CenterPoint has taken a series of safety and readiness actions, including:

  • Actively monitoring weather: Closely monitoring National Hurricane Center forecasts and evolving weather conditions that could impact Texas.
  • Deploying hurricane/summer storm readiness plans: reviewing personnel and equipment needs based on potential storm impacts.
  • Inspecting and testing critical electrical equipment: Inspecting power lines and electric substations across the Greater Houston area and conducting repairs as needed.
  • Trimming and removing high-risk vegetation: Deploying crews and contract personnel to inspect and clear hazardous vegetation from power lines to prepare for potential high winds and precipitation.
  • Coordinating with government officials: Providing regular updates to federal, state, county and city officials regarding preparedness activities.
  • Communicating proactively with customers: Providing safety and preparedness information directly with customers via email, phone, and text, across social media platforms and other channels to keep customers informed and prepared.

 
If the risk of landfall increases, CenterPoint will activate its Emergency Operations Center and stage additional frontline workers and mutual aid personnel in strategic locations to be ready to restore service to impacted customers safely and as quickly as possible.
 
Emergency Communications: Sign Up for Power Alert Service®
To help prepare for the impact of Tropical Depression 2, CenterPoint is encouraging its customers to enroll in Power Alert Service® to receive outage details, estimated restoration times and customer-specific restoration updates via phone call, text, or email. As part of CenterPoint's overall emergency communications efforts, customers can stay up to date on local outages with CenterPoint's cloud-based Outage Tracker, available in English and Spanish, which allows customers to see outages and restoration times by county, city, and ZIP code.
 
Emergency Preparations: What Customers Can Do to Stay Safe
CenterPoint urges the public to put their safety first and prepare in advance for extreme weather, including hurricanes, by having a safety plan ready, especially for those who rely on electricity for life-sustaining equipment or medical needs. Customers can find safety tips to help them prepare at CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter or at Ready.gov.

For the latest updates, follow CenterPoint on social media and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com


CenterPoint Energy Foundation awards $350,000 in energy efficiency grants to southwestern Indiana nonprofits to help reduce costs

Fourteen local grant recipients include the Tri-State Food Bank, Vanderburgh County CASA and the Vanderburgh County Humane Society, among others 

Grants are part of CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund, which to date has provided $2.5 million in funding to CenterPoint Hoosier customers

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – July 16, 2026 – Today, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation awarded $350,000 in matching grants to 14 local nonprofit organizations across southwestern Indiana to support energy efficiency improvements at their facilities. The matching grants announced today are part of a series of Community Affordability Actions CenterPoint launched last year to support its southwestern Indiana customers, including the CenterPoint Energy Foundation's $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund, which to date has provided $2.5 million in funding to CenterPoint Energy's residential, small business, local retail and restaurant and nonprofit customers.

"All of us at CenterPoint are committed to prioritizing affordability and supporting the local nonprofits at the heart of our communities. These grants will help empower these nonprofit organizations, to make upgrades that reduce expenses, improve operational efficiency and increase their ability to deliver critical services to our communities," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana.

In addition to the matching grant funds, CenterPoint Energy will provide each grantee with a facility assessment and a 10-year energy efficiency improvement roadmap, expert guidance and educational webinars to help staff manage energy use over time and further reduce costs for the organizations. By reducing energy usage and lowering operating costs, these improvements will help local organizations dedicate more resources to serving the communities that rely on them. The grants reflect CenterPoint's continued commitment to prioritizing affordability for the Hoosier customers it serves.

Supporting Southwestern Indiana Nonprofits
The nonprofit grantees – each awarded up to $25,000 in matching grants for critical facility improvements, such as HVAC replacements, lighting upgrades and building efficiency enhancements – include:

  • Ark Crisis Children's Center
  • Community Action Program of Evansville
  • Encountering Hope Ministries, Inc. (Hope Central)
  • Evansville Christian Life Center
  • Holly's House, Inc.
  • Joshua Academy Charter School
  • Lampion Center
  • Potters Wheel Inc.
  • Reitz Home Preservation Society, Inc.
  • The Salvation Army of Evansville
  • The Way of Rockport Indiana, Inc.
  • Tri-State Food Bank, Inc.
  • Vanderburgh County CASA, Inc.
  • Vanderburgh County Humane Society, Inc.

“As a nonprofit, reducing energy costs allows us to redirect resources to our family services rather than building operations. Every dollar saved is a dollar that can be reinvested into supporting children and families and expanding our capacity to make a positive difference in the community," said Sarah Reis, Executive Director of Vanderburgh County CASA. 

CenterPoint Energy Announces “Emergency Preparedness Week”

Week-long awareness effort to highlight emergency resources, tools and safety tips to help customers be ready throughout hurricane season

Customers will be encouraged to enroll in Power Alert Service® to stay informed during severe weather and emergency events

​

HOUSTON – July 14, 2026 – CenterPoint Energy today announced the launch of “Emergency Preparedness Week" to help raise customers' awareness of an array of vital emergency resources, storm safety tips and enhanced communication tools. As part of the week-long effort, which will include a social media campaign and direct outreach to customers, CenterPoint will also be encouraging its 2.9 million customers across the Greater Houston area to update their emergency plans, enroll in Power Alert Service® (PAS) to receive timely alerts about extreme weather, outages and restoration efforts, and visit the company's Action Center website to learn about other ways to be ready for emergencies.

“Extreme weather, hurricanes and emergency events can happen at any time, and we want all our customers and their families to be better prepared. Whether it is updating their emergency plan, enrolling in PAS or taking other safety steps, we all must work together to be ready before storms strike," said Raja Subramanian, Vice President and Chief Customer Officer.

Emergency Preparedness Week: Actions to Be Highlighted
During Emergency Preparedness Week, CenterPoint will be highlighting an array of tools, resources and tips available to help customers be prepared before the next emergency strikes, including:

  • Signing up for Power Alert Service: Enroll to receive free alerts by phone call, text or email about outages, restoration and storm response efforts. Customers can also add up to 15 family and friends to receive alerts for the customers' address.
  • Using CenterPoint's Outage Tracker: View the most up-to-date outage and restoration information by address and report outages.
  • Exploring Emergency Partner Resources: Find additional support through the United Way 211 Helpline, which connects customers with the help they need through a comprehensive database of social services, and the State of Texas Emergency Assistance Registry (STEAR) program, a free registry to let local emergency responders know if you or a loved one require extra assistance in an emergency.
  • Preparing an Emergency Plan and Supply Kit: Create an emergency safety plan and prepare a week's worth of supplies for your home, including bottled water, non-perishable food, a first aid kit and extra batteries.
  • Avoiding Downed Lines: Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and always assume they are still energized.
  • Reporting Gas Leaks: If you smell gas, leave the area immediately on foot, and call CenterPoint at 713-659-2111.

For more information and emergency preparedness tips and resources, follow CenterPoint Energy on social media and visit CenterPointEnergy.com/ActionCenter.

About CenterPoint Energy, Inc. 

As the only investor owned electric and gas utility based in Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) is an energy delivery company with electric transmission and distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution operations that serve more than 7 million metered customers in Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Texas. As of March 31, 2026, the company owned approximately $47.8 billion in assets. With approximately 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.

CenterPoint Energy Indiana Highlights Ongoing Commitment to Customer Affordability in Open Letter to Customers and Stakeholders

​Open letter outlines series of affordability actions, including commitment to keeping rates stable for two years, $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund, bill adjustments and other critical steps 

Company stresses importance of prioritizing customer affordability, investing in resiliency and economic growth vital to ensuring $250 million in future customer energy savings 

Evansville, Ind. – July 14, 2026 – Today, CenterPoint Energy Indiana released an open letter on its ongoing commitment to affordability addressed to customers and stakeholders, including state and local elected leaders, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, the Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, and other community stakeholders. In the open letter, CenterPoint outlined the series of affordability actions it has taken since last year, including: a commitment to keep rates stable through 2027, and a series of bill adjustments and credits to offset October 2025 rate increases. CenterPoint also outlined its public initiatives to raise awareness on programs, tips, and tools available to help customers save energy and money, as well hundreds of millions of dollars in future customer savings possible as additional capacity is added to the local grid.

“Energy affordability is very important to our customers and our CenterPoint Indiana team. We are committed to working alongside our state and local leaders, our regulator, and community stakeholders to continue to prioritize customer affordability and build on the actions we've already taken. Looking to the future, by working together and adding more capacity, we are excited by the real opportunity to save our customers hundreds of millions of dollars even as we build a more reliable and more resilient energy future for our Hoosier families," said Mike Roeder, President of CenterPoint Energy Indiana.

Action Taken: Prioritizing Customer Affordability
Since October 2025, CenterPoint Energy Indiana has taken a series of Community Affordability Actions, which include:

  • Two-year rate stability: Keeping rates stable through 2027, in part, by canceling nearly $1 billion in previously approved generation projects that had become non-economical, saving customers approximately $18 per month.
  • Offsetting October 2025 rate increase: Delivering a credit to residential customers by December 2025, through bill adjustments and credits, to offset rate changes that took effect in October 2025.
  • Voluntarily reduced company profits: Agreeing to lower its authorized return as part of the rate case approved by the IURC in February 2025.
  • Voluntarily eliminated profits on a retired power plant: Eliminating profits on an older, retired coal plant under recent state legislation, reducing customer cost impacts by approximately $5 per month since June 2023.
  • Fourteen years without a base rate case: Filing no formal base rate case requesting increases in electric base rates between 2009 and 2023.

Actions Taken: Bringing Support Directly to Southwestern Indiana Customers
CenterPoint has also launched a series of programs focused on reducing energy burdens and helping customers better manage their costs, including:

  • Customer Connect: Adding new in-person service options in downtown Evansville for customers to get account support, learn about and enroll in cost- and energy-saving programs, and pay their monthly bill.
  • Reduced Call Center Wait Times: Reducing call center wait times by 70% between May and June '26, resulting in wait times of less than one minute for CenterPoint Energy's Hoosier customers.
  • A $5 million Community Energy Improvement Fund: Supporting Hoosier customers through an array of weatherization, energy efficiency and community development projects.
  • The Home Repair & Care Program: Assisting eligible homeowners with energy-saving home improvements. To date, 80-plus households have received energy efficiency enhancements.
  • Optimize for Local: Providing up to $25,000 in matching grants to nine locally owned restaurants and retailers to help make energy efficiency improvements.
  • Optimize for Good: Helping 14 southwestern Indiana nonprofits save energy and costs through matching grants of up to $25,000 to make critical facilities improvements, enabling the organizations to dedicate more resources to serving the communities that rely on them.
  • No-Cost Smart Thermostats and Bill Credits: Expanding energy-efficiency offerings that include no-cost smart thermostats for eligible customers and a one-time bill credit of $75 for signing up for the Smart Cycle program and annual bill credits of up to $67.50 while enrolled.

Working Together: A Commitment to Continued Collaboration
In the letter to Indiana energy stakeholders, CenterPoint outlined the actions it continues taking to prioritize affordability now and in the future, including:

  • Maintaining its two-year rate stability commitment.
  • Supporting local economic development that will create thousands of new jobs, and lower energy costs and taxes for Hoosiers, while increasing funding for public services like schools and roads.
  • Expanding further its community assistance and energy-efficiency programs, including the Community Energy Improvement Fund initiatives.
  • Exploring additional affordability measures and bill assistance options, including a proactive rate design review in consultation with IURC staff and stakeholders.
  • Participating actively in affordability discussions and workshops at the local and state level.
  • Providing transparent updates on the outcomes of affordability and reliability investments.