FORM 3

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *   Ryan Jason Michael 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year) 04/02/2019 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC [CNP] (Last) (First) (Middle) 1111 LOUISIANA 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) SVP & General Counsel 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) (Street) HOUSTON, TX 77002 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 4) 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4) 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5) 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5) Common Stock 13,720 (1) D Â

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.			SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Ryan Jason Michael 1111 LOUISIANA HOUSTON, TX 77002	Â	Â	  SVP & General Counsel	Â

Signatures

Vincent A. Mercaldi, Attorney-in-Fact		04/11/2019
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(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).
(1)	Total includes (i) 1,466 time-based restricted stock units ("RSUs") previously awarded under the Issuer's Long-term Incentive Plan (the "Plan") and vesting in February 2020, (ii) 1,532 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2021, and (iii) 2,163 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2022. The award to vest in 2020 shall vest if the Reporting Person continues to be an employee of Issuer from grant date through vesting date and on a pro-rata basis in the event of his earlier retirement, disability or death. The above awards to vest in 2021 and 2022 shall vest (i) if he continues to be an employee of Issuer from grant date through vesting date and (ii) in the event of his disability or death. Also, the above awards to vest in 2021 and 2022 shall vest on a pro-rata basis in the event of his retirement unless he satisfies various conditions for full vesting.

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