CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s board of directors today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share of common stock payable on September 10, 2009, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 14, 2009.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020930/CNPLOGO)

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines, and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total nearly $19 billion. With about 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 130 years. For more information, visit the Web site at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

  For more information contact
  Media:
  Leticia Lowe
  Phone    713-207-7702

  Investors:
  Marianne Paulsen
  Phone    713.207.6500

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: arlette.jarmon@centerpointenergy.com

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SOURCE: CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CONTACT: media, Leticia Lowe, +1-713-207-7702, or investors, Marianne
Paulsen, +1-713.207.6500, both of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

Web Site: http://www.centerpointenergy.com/