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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                       PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                      THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): MAY 12, 2003

                             ---------------------

                            CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


                                                
          TEXAS                     1-31447                   74-0694415
     (State or other        (Commission File Number)        (IRS Employer
       jurisdiction                                      Identification No.)
    of incorporation)



                                
          1111 LOUISIANA
          HOUSTON, TEXAS                         77002
 (Address of principal executive               (Zip Code)
              offices)


              REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:
                                 (713) 207-1111

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ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS

     Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2 to this Current Report on Form 8-K, which are
incorporated by reference herein, give effect to the following items within
CenterPoint Energy's historical consolidated financial statements, Selected
Financial Data, and Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations as reported in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the
year ended December 31, 2002:

     - certain reclassifications necessary to present CenterPoint Energy's
       remaining Latin America operations as discontinued operations in
       accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No.
       144, "Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets" as
       a result of the sale of these operations subsequent to December 31, 2002;

     - certain reclassifications necessary to present the extinguishment of debt
       recorded in the fourth quarter of 2002 as interest expense in accordance
       with SFAS No. 145, "Rescission of FASB Statements No. 4, 44, and 64,
       Amendment of FASB Statement No. 13, and Technical Corrections;"

     - the retroactive effect of the adoption of Emerging Issues Task Force
       Issue No. 02-03, "Issues Involved in Accounting for Derivative Contracts
       Held for Trading Purposes and Contracts Involved in Energy Trading and
       Risk Management Activities", as it relates to the disclosure in Note 2 of
       revenues of Reliant Resources, Inc., which are included in discontinued
       operations; and

     - the pro-forma financial statement effect for each of the three years
       ended December 31, 2002, as if the Company had adopted SFAS No. 143,
       "Accounting for Asset Retirement Obligations" as of January 1, 2000.

     The items discussed above did not affect net income for any of the five
years ended December 31, 2002.

     The financial statement disclosures, management estimates and
forward-looking statements contained in this Current Report on Form 8-K have not
been updated to reflect current developments subsequent to December 31, 2002.

ITEM 7. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND EXHIBITS

     (c) Exhibits.


            
    99.1       Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
               and Results of Operations and Selected Financial Data
    99.2       Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of the Company
    99.3       Independent Auditors' Consent


                                        2


                                   SIGNATURE

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                          CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

                                          By:      /s/ JAMES S. BRIAN
                                            ------------------------------------
                                                       James S. Brian
                                                 Senior Vice President and
                                                  Chief Accounting Officer

Date: May 12, 2003

                                        3


                                 EXHIBIT INDEX



   NUMBER                              DESCRIPTION
------------                           -----------
            
    99.1       Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
               and Results of Operations and Selected Financial Data
    99.2       Financial Statements and Supplementary Data of the Company
    99.3       Independent Auditors' Consent