Houston - May 1, 2003 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP) will present at the American Gas Association Financial Forum, on Monday, May 5, 2003. The speakers will include Gary L. Whitlock, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Stephen C. Schaeffer, executive vice president and group president gas distribution and sales and Joseph B. McGoldrick, corporate vice president strategic planning.

The live webcast of the presentation will begin at approximately 2 p.m. Eastern time. You are invited to access the presentation on the Internet at www.centerpointenergy.com, in the Investors section. A replay of the presentation will be available approximately one hour after the live webcast and will be archived for 14 days.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & 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 metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total more than $19 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 CenterPoint Energy website at www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

For more information contact:
Media: Leticia Lowe, 713.207.7702
Investors: Marianne Paulsen, 713.207.6500