HOUSTON, Oct 23, 2007 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX News Network) -- CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP) announced that CenterPoint Energy Resources Corp. (CERC) closed today on $250 million of 6.125 percent senior unsecured notes due Nov. 1, 2017, and $250 million of 6.625 percent senior unsecured notes due Nov. 1, 2037. CERC is CenterPoint Energy's natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, and natural gas pipeline and gas gathering subsidiary.

Net proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, including the repayment or refinancing of $300 million of 6.50 percent debentures due Feb. 1, 2008.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering would be unlawful.

Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, UBS Securities LLC, Comerica Securities, Inc., HSBC Securities (USA) Inc., Scotia Capital (USA) Inc., SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc., Wachovia Capital Markets, LLC and The Williams Capital Group, L.P. served as underwriters for this offering.

A prospectus relating to this offering has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained by calling Citigroup Global Markets Inc. at 1.877.858.5401, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated at 1.866.718.1649 or UBS Securities LLC at 1.888.722.9555, ext. 1088.

CERC owns and operates natural gas distribution systems serving approximately 3.1 million customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Through wholly owned subsidiaries, CERC also owns interstate natural gas pipelines and gas gathering systems, provides various ancillary services, and offers variable and fixed price physical natural gas supplies primarily to commercial and industrial customers and electric and gas utilities.

The CenterPoint Energy logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3588

This news release includes forward-looking statements. Actual events and results may differ materially from those projected. You can generally identify forward-looking statements by the words "believe," "will," "expect" or other similar words. Factors that could affect actual results include the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions, effects of competition, weather variations, changes in CERC's business plans, financial market conditions and other factors discussed in CERC's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

This news release was distributed by PrimeNewswire, www.primenewswire.com

SOURCE: CenterPoint Energy, Inc.

CenterPoint Energy 
          Media:
          Leticia Lowe
            713.207.7702
          Investors:
          Marianne Paulsen
            713.207.6500

(C) Copyright 2007 PrimeNewswire, Inc. All rights reserved.

News Provided by COMTEX