CenterPoint Energy subsidiary closes on $300 million of general mortgage bonds

HOUSTON, Aug. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC (Houston Electric), an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP), today closed on 2.40 % general mortgage bonds totaling $300 million due September 1, 2026. Net proceeds will be used to repay short-term debt and for general corporate purposes.

BofA Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank Securities and RBC Capital Markets served as joint bookrunners with BNY Mellon Capital Markets, LLC and Comerica Securities as Senior Co-Managers.  The transaction also included two diversity and inclusion (D&I) firms as Co-Managers: Loop Capital Markets and Mischler Financial Group, Inc.  The firms represent African American-owned and disabled veteran-owned segments of the investment banking market.

"Houston has become one of the most ethnically diverse urban regions in the country and utilizing D&I firms is extremely important to us," said Tracy Bridge, executive vice president and president of CenterPoint Energy's Electric Division. "We are proud to work with such a distinguished group of investment banks to help finance our work to deliver safe and reliable electric service to our customers.  We believe supplier diversity is a competitive business advantage that helps us provide the very best products and services for our customers."

"We are excited to assist CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric on their utility bond offering," said Ron Quigley, managing director of Mischler Financial Group, the nation's oldest service disabled veteran business enterprise of its kind. "This deal further expands the business community committed to collaborating with diverse financial firms."

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of any offer to buy, any security and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such offering would be unlawful.

This news release includes forward-looking statements. Actual events and results may differ materially from those projected.  The statements in this news release regarding the use of proceeds from the offering and other statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Factors that could affect actual results include the timing and impact of future regulatory and legislative decisions, effects of competition, weather variations, changes in business plans, financial market conditions and other factors discussed in Houston Electric's Form 10-K, as amended, for the period ended December 31, 2015, Houston Electric's Form 10-Qs for the periods ended March 31, 2016 and June 30, 2016 and Houston Electric's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A written prospectus may be obtained by visiting EDGAR on the SEC Website at www.sec.gov.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission & distribution, natural gas distribution and energy services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas. The company also owns a 55.4 percent limited partner interest in Enable Midstream Partners, a publicly traded master limited partnership it jointly controls with OGE Energy Corp.,  which owns, operates and develops natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With more than 7,400 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 140 years.

For more information contact
Media:
Leticia Lowe
Phone 713.207.7702
Investors: 
Dave Mordy
Phone713.207.6500

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SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc.