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 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 * ORTENSTONE SUSAN B   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 and Chief HR Officer (Last) (First) (Middle) 1111 LOUISIANA 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 02/19/2019 (Street) HOUSTON, TX 77002 4. If Amendment, Date 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 (City) (State) (Zip) 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 02/19/2019   A   5,719 (1) A $ 31.21 39,213 (2) D

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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 Underlying Securities (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

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
ORTENSTONE SUSAN B 1111 LOUISIANA HOUSTON, TX 77002			SVP and Chief HR Officer

Signatures

Vincent A. Mercaldi, Attorney-in-Fact		02/21/2019
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	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).
(1)	Time-based restricted stock units vesting (i) in February 2022 if the Reporting Person continues to be an employee of Issuer from the grant date through the vesting date; (ii) in the event of her earlier disability or death; or (iii) on a pro-rata basis upon her earlier retirement unless she satisfies various conditions for full vesting.
(2)	Total includes (i) 6,562 time-based restricted stock units ("RSUs") previously awarded under the Issuer's Long-term Incentive Plan (the "Plan") and vesting in February 2019, (ii) 5,276 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2020 and (iii) 5,836 RSUs previously awarded under the Plan and vesting in February 2021. The awards to vest in 2019 and 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 her earlier retirement, disability or death. The award to vest in 2021 shall vest (i) if she continues to be an employee of Issuer from grant date through vesting date and (ii) in the event of her disability or death. Also, the award to vest in 2021 shall vest on a pro-rata basis in the event of her retirement unless she satisfies various conditions for full vesting, as described in the Issuer's Proxy Statement filed with the SEC on March 15, 2018.

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