Statement of Changes in Beneficial Ownership (4)

FORM 4

[ ] Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

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Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * Mercado Kenneth M	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC [ CNP ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) _____ Director                    _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below)    _____ Other (specify below) SVP
(Last)          (First)          (Middle) 1111 LOUISIANA	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YYYY) 2/27/2020
(Street) HOUSTON, TX 77002 (City)        (State)        (Zip)	4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)	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. Trans. Date	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	3. Trans. 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	2/27/2020		A		3976 (1)	A	$0.00	70101	D
Common Stock	2/27/2020		F		1008 (2)	D	$24.16	69093 (3)	D
Common Stock								7043	I	By Savings Plan (4)

Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Trans. Date	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any	4. Trans. 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		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 of Derivative Security: 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)	Vesting of performance shares awarded in 2017 under the Issuer's Long-term Incentive Plan.
(2)	Shares withheld for taxes upon vesting of performance shares.
(3)	Total includes (i) 2,794 time-based restricted stock units ("RSUs") previously awarded under the Issuer's Long-term Incentive Plan (the "Plan") and vesting in February 2021, (ii) 2,819 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2022, and (iii) 7,151 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2023. The above awards shall vest (i) if the Reporting Person 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 shall vest on a pro-rata basis in the event of his retirement unless he satisfies various conditions for full vesting.
(4)	Equivalent shares held in CenterPoint Energy, Inc. Savings Plan.

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Mercado Kenneth M 1111 LOUISIANA HOUSTON, TX 77002			SVP

Signatures
Vincent A. Mercaldi, Attorney in Fact		3/2/2020
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date