Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
Prochazka Scott M
  2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC [CNP]
5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President & CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
1111 LOUISIANA
3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
10/01/2018
(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77002
4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)
5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)
6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock 10/01/2018   S(1)   4,000 D $ 27.54 (2) 301,247 (3) D  
Common Stock               6,976 I By Savings Plan (4)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)
2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)
5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)
6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)
7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)
8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)
9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)
10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)
11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
Prochazka Scott M
1111 LOUISIANA
HOUSTON, TX 77002
  X     President & CEO  

Signatures

 Vincent A. Mercaldi, Attorney-in-Fact   10/03/2018
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The sale of shares reported in this Form 4 was effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the Reporting Person. The adoption of the trading plan was previously disclosed by the Issuer in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 28, 2017, and the subsequent amendment of the trading plan was previously disclosed by the Issuer in its Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on February 27, 2018.
(2) The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $27.45 to $27.62, inclusive. The Reporting Person undertakes to provide to the Issuer, any security holder of the Issuer, or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the ranges set forth in this footnote.
(3) Total includes (i) 63,258 time-based restricted stock units ("RSUs") previously awarded under the Issuer's Long-term Incentive Plan (the "Plan") and vesting in February 2019, (ii) 54,115 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2020, and (iii) 61,515 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2021. The awards to vest in 2019 and 2020 shall vest if the Reporting Person continues to be an employee of Issuer from grant date through vesting date and on a pro-rata basis in the event of his earlier retirement, disability or death. The above award to vest in 2021 shall vest (i) if he continues to be an employee of Issuer from grant date through vesting date and (ii) in the event of his disability or death. Also, the above award to vest in 2021 shall vest on a pro-rata basis in the event of his retirement unless he satisfies various conditions for full vesting, as described in the Issuer's Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on March 15, 2018.
(4) Equivalent shares held in CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Savings Plan.

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