CenterPoint Energy 2015 Annual Report Download - page 129

REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

TotheBoardofDirectorsandShareholdersof
CenterPointEnergy,Inc.
Houston,Texas
WehaveauditedtheinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingofCenterPointEnergy,Inc.andsubsidiaries(the“Company”)asofDecember31,2015,based
oncriteriaestablishedinInternal Control — Integrated Framework (2013)issuedbytheCommitteeofSponsoringOrganizationsoftheTreadwayCommission.
TheCompany’smanagementisresponsibleformaintainingeffectiveinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingandforitsassessmentoftheeffectivenessofinternal
controloverfinancialreporting,includedintheaccompanyingManagement’sAnnualReportonInternalControlOverFinancialReporting.Ourresponsibilityis
toexpressanopinionontheCompany’sinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingbasedonouraudit.
WeconductedourauditinaccordancewiththestandardsofthePublicCompanyAccountingOversightBoard(UnitedStates).Thosestandardsrequirethat
we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained in all material
respects.Ourauditincludedobtaininganunderstandingofinternalcontroloverfinancialreporting,assessingtheriskthatamaterialweaknessexists,testingand
evaluatingthedesignandoperatingeffectivenessofinternalcontrolbasedontheassessedrisk,andperformingsuchotherproceduresasweconsiderednecessary
inthecircumstances.Webelievethatourauditprovidesareasonablebasisforouropinion.
Acompany’sinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingisaprocessdesignedby,orunderthesupervisionof,thecompany’sprincipalexecutiveandprincipal
financial officers, or persons performing similar functions, and effected by the company’s board of directors, management, and other personnel to provide
reasonableassuranceregardingthereliabilityoffinancialreportingandthepreparationoffinancialstatementsforexternalpurposesinaccordancewithgenerally
acceptedaccountingprinciples.Acompany’sinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingincludesthosepoliciesandproceduresthat(1)pertaintothemaintenanceof
recordsthat,inreasonabledetail,accuratelyandfairlyreflectthetransactionsanddispositionsoftheassetsofthecompany;(2)providereasonableassurancethat
transactionsarerecordedasnecessarytopermitpreparationoffinancialstatementsinaccordancewithgenerallyacceptedaccountingprinciples,andthatreceipts
andexpendituresofthecompanyarebeingmadeonlyinaccordancewithauthorizationsofmanagementanddirectorsofthecompany;and(3)providereasonable
assuranceregardingpreventionortimelydetectionofunauthorizedacquisition,use,ordispositionofthecompany’sassetsthatcouldhaveamaterialeffectonthe
financialstatements.
Because of the inherent limitations of internal control over financial reporting, including the possibility of collusion or improper management override of
controls,materialmisstatementsduetoerrororfraudmaynotbepreventedordetectedonatimelybasis.Also,projectionsofanyevaluationoftheeffectiveness
oftheinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingtofutureperiodsaresubjecttotheriskthatthecontrolsmaybecomeinadequatebecauseofchangesinconditions,or
thatthedegreeofcompliancewiththepoliciesorproceduresmaydeteriorate.
Inouropinion,theCompanymaintained,inallmaterialrespects,effectiveinternalcontroloverfinancialreportingasofDecember31,2015,basedonthe
criteriaestablishedinInternal Control — Integrated Framework (2013)issuedbytheCommitteeofSponsoringOrganizationsoftheTreadwayCommission.
We have also audited, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), the consolidated financial
statementsandfinancialstatementschedulesasofandfortheyearendedDecember31,2015oftheCompanyandourreportdatedFebruary26,2016 expressed
anunqualifiedopiniononthosefinancialstatements.

/s/DELOITTE&TOUCHELLP

Houston,Texas
February26,2016
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