CenterPoint Energy 2013 Annual Report Download - page 23

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1
PART I
Item 1. Business
OUR BUSINESS
Overview
We are a public utility holding company. Our operating subsidiaries own and operate electric transmission and distribution
facilities and natural gas distribution facilities and own interests in Enable Midstream Partners, LP (Enable) as described below.
Our indirect wholly owned subsidiaries include:
• CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC (CenterPoint Houston), which engages in the electric transmission and
distribution business in a 5,000-square mile area of the Texas Gulf Coast that includes the city of Houston; and
• CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp. (CERC Corp. and, together with its subsidiaries, CERC), which owns and operates
natural gas distribution systems in six states (Gas Operations). A wholly owned subsidiary of CERC Corp. offers variable
and fixed-price physical natural gas supplies primarily to commercial and industrial customers and electric and gas
utilities. As of December 31, 2013, CERC Corp. also owned approximately 58.3% of the limited partner interests in
Enable, an unconsolidated partnership jointly controlled with OGE Energy Corp., which owns, operates and develops
natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets.
Our reportable business segments are Electric Transmission & Distribution, Natural Gas Distribution, Energy Services,
Midstream Investments and Other Operations. From time to time, we consider the acquisition or the disposition of assets or
businesses.
Our principal executive offices are located at 1111 Louisiana, Houston, Texas 77002 (telephone number: 713-207-1111).
We make available free of charge on our Internet website our annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q,
current reports on Form 8-K and amendments to those reports filed or furnished pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such reports with, or furnish them to, the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Additionally, we make available free of charge on our Internet website:
• our Code of Ethics for our Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers;
• our Ethics and Compliance Code;
• our Corporate Governance Guidelines; and
• the charters of the audit, compensation, finance and governance committees of our Board of Directors.
Any shareholder who so requests may obtain a printed copy of any of these documents from us. Changes in or waivers of our
Code of Ethics for our Chief Executive Officer and Senior Financial Officers and waivers of our Ethics and Compliance Code for
directors or executive officers will be posted on our Internet website within five business days of such change or waiver and
maintained for at least 12 months or reported on Item 5.05 of Form 8-K. Our website address is www.centerpointenergy.com.
Except to the extent explicitly stated herein, documents and information on our website are not incorporated by reference herein.
Electric Transmission & Distribution
CenterPoint Houston is a transmission and distribution electric utility that operates wholly within the state of Texas. Neither
CenterPoint Houston nor any other subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy makes retail or wholesale sales of electric energy or owns
or operates any electric generating facilities.
Electric Transmission
On behalf of retail electric providers (REPs), CenterPoint Houston delivers electricity from power plants to substations, from
one substation to another and to retail electric customers taking power at or above 69 kilovolts (kV) in locations throughout
CenterPoint Houston’s certificated service territory. CenterPoint Houston constructs and maintains transmission facilities and
provides transmission services under tariffs approved by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (Texas Utility Commission).