Houston - January 22, 2004 - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE:CNP) announced today that on Jan. 20, 2004, it redeemed all of the then outstanding 8.125 percent Trust Preferred Securities, Series A of its indirect wholly owned subsidiary, HL&P Capital Trust I. The redemption price was $25 per trust preferred security plus accrued and unpaid distributions thereon to the date of redemption.

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 approximately $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.

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