HOUSTON, Jul 29, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- 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, 2004, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 16, 2004. This equates to an annual dividend of $0.40 per share of common stock.

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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, of which approximately 2,500 megawatts are currently in mothball status. The company serves nearly five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total over $21 billion. 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 http://www.CenterPointEnergy.com .

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

media, Alicia Dixon, +1-713-207-5885, or investors, Marianne
Paulsen, +1-713-207-6500, both of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
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