<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001130310-23-000075.txt : 20230503
<SEC-HEADER>0001130310-23-000075.hdr.sgml : 20230503
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20230503162119
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001130310-23-000075
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20230501
FILED AS OF DATE:		20230503
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20230503

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Nesbitt Martin H.
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001478041

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-31447
		FILM NUMBER:		23884345

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		10319 WESTLAKE DRIVE
		STREET 2:		SUITE 112
		CITY:			BETHESDA
		STATE:			MD
		ZIP:			20817

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001130310
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	ELECTRIC SERVICES [4911]
		IRS NUMBER:				740694415
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			TX
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1111 LOUISIANA ST.
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77002
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7132073000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1111 LOUISIANA ST.
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77002

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	RELIANT ENERGY REGCO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20001220
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>wf-form4_168314525883890.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0407</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2023-05-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001130310</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>CNP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001478041</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Nesbitt Martin H.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1111 LOUISIANA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77002</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <aff10b5One>0</aff10b5One>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2023-05-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5541</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17017</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>19096</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnote</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares of common stock granted under the Issuer's Stock Plan for Outside Directors, as amended and restated.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">These shares were previously reported as directly beneficially owned by the Reporting Person (&quot;R.P.&quot;), but were contributed on or around September 1, 2020 to MN-CE, LLC, a limited liability company for which the R.P. is the sole manager (the &quot;LLC&quot;). The sole member of the LLC was a grantor retained annuity trust, for which the R.P. is the sole trustee and annuitant. In satisfaction of a required annuity payment from the grantor retained annuity trust, on September 9, 2021, a portion of the interests in the limited liability company were distributed from the grantor retained annuity trust to the R.P. On August 16, 2022, the R.P., through the R.P.'s revocable trust (the &quot;Revocable Trust&quot;), purchased all of the outstanding interests in the LLC held by the grantor retained annuity trust in exchange for a promissory note in the amount of $432,253.61. The R.P. is the sole manager of the LLC and sole Trustee of the Revocable Trust. The Revocable Trust is the sole member of the LLC.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Vincent A. Mercaldi, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2023-05-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
