SEC Form 4 
FORM 4	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 	  
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	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).			
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person*
CROSSWELL O HOLCOMBE	

(Last)	(First)	(Middle)	
1111 LOUISIANA	

(Street) 
HOUSTON	TX	77002	

(City)	(State)	(Zip)	
	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol 
CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC [ CNP ] 	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer 
(Check all applicable) 
X	Director		10% Owner	
	Officer (give title below)		Other (specify below)	

	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/24/2008 		
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) 
X	Form filed by One Reporting Person	
	Form filed by More than One Reporting Person	
	
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned	
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3) 	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 	4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 	5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) 	
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price				
Common Stock	04/24/2008		A		4,000(1) 	A	(2)	24,647(3) 	D		
Common Stock								3,448	I	By corporation(4) 	
Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 	
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 	5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 	6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)	7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4) 	8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) 	
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares					
Explanation of Responses:	
1. This common stock is time-based restricted stock awarded to outside directors then in office as of May 1, 2008. Shares will vest in one-third increments on May 1, 2009, May 1, 2010 and May 1, 2011 if the reporting person is a director of Issuer through such dates; provided however, the shares become fully vested in the event of a change of control of issuer.	
2. Price is not applicable.	
3. Includes 1,000 shares of time-based restricted stock awarded in 2005 that will vest on July 1, 2008; 2,000 shares of time-based restricted stock awarded in 2006 that will vest in 1,000 share increments on June 1, 2008 and June 1, 2009; and 4,000 shares of time-based restricted stock awarded in 2007 that will vest in one-third increments on June 1, 2008, June 1, 2009 and June 1, 2010 if the reporting person is a director of Issuer through such dates; provided however, the shares become fully vested in the event of a change of control of issuer.	
4. Shares held by a corporation of which the reporting person is president with shared voting power and investment power.	
Remarks:	
	
	O. Holcombe Crosswell	04/25/2008	
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date	
Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.	
* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4 (b)(v).	
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).	
Note: File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.	
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB Number.