HOUSTON - June 18, 2003 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s (NYSE:CNP) board of directors today declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.10 per share of common stock payable on September 10, 2003, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 15, 2003. This equates to an annual dividend of $.40 per share of common stock.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution and sales, interstate pipeline and gathering operations, and more than 14,000 megawatts of power generation in Texas. The company serves nearly five million customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total more than $20 billion. CenterPoint Energy became the new holding company for the regulated operations of the former Reliant Energy, Incorporated in August 2002. With more than 11,000 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.

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Media: Leticia Lowe, 713.207.7702
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