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Property, Plant and Equipment (Details) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2024 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2023 USD ($) MW | Dec. 31, 2022 USD ($)
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 42,667 | $ 40,396 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, gross | 42,667 | 40,396 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 10,578 | 10,543 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, accumulated depreciation and amortization | 10,578 | 10,543 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | 32,089 | 29,853 |
Finance lease right of use assets, net | 430 | 526 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, net | 32,089 | 29,853 |
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract] |  |  |
Depreciation | 1,177 | 1,092 | $ 1,013
Amortization of securitized regulatory assets | 90 | 163 | 191
Other amortization | 172 | 146 | 84
Total | 1,439 | 1,401 | 1,288
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning balance | 590 | 610 |
Additions | 11 | 0 |
Accretion expense | 21 | 23 |
Revisions in estimate | (34) | (43) |
Ending balance | 588 | $ 590 | 610
SIGECO |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Number of megawatts (in MW) | MW |  | 300 |
SIGECO's share of cost of Warrick Unit 4 |  | $ 198 |
SIGECO's share of accumulated depreciation of Warrick Unit 4 |  | 171 |
Houston Electric |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | 21,750 | 19,515 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, gross | 21,750 | 19,515 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 4,628 | 4,469 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, accumulated depreciation and amortization | 4,628 | 4,469 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | 17,122 | 15,046 |
Finance lease right of use assets, net | 430 | 526 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, net | 17,122 | 15,046 |
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract] |  |  |
Depreciation | 545 | 484 | 434
Amortization of securitized regulatory assets | 74 | 155 | 191
Other amortization | 143 | 109 | 45
Total | 762 | 748 | 670
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning balance | 40 | 36 |
Additions | 0 | 0 |
Accretion expense | 1 | 1 |
Revisions in estimate | (2) | 3 |
Ending balance | 39 | 40 | 36
CERC |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | 15,552 | 15,672 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, gross | 15,552 | 15,672 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 4,146 | 4,169 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, accumulated depreciation and amortization | 4,146 | 4,169 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | 11,406 | 11,503 |
Finance lease right of use assets, net | 0 | 0 |
Property plant and equipment and finance lease assets, net | 11,406 | 11,503 |
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract] |  |  |
Depreciation | 492 | 459 | 420
Amortization of securitized regulatory assets | 0 | 0 | 0
Other amortization | 30 | 34 | 28
Total | 522 | 493 | 448
Asset Retirement Obligation, Roll Forward Analysis [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning balance | 380 | 420 |
Additions | 0 | 0 |
Accretion expense | 16 | 16 |
Revisions in estimate | (33) | (56) |
Ending balance | $ 363 | 380 | $ 420
Electric transmission and distribution |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 37 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 21,387 | 19,151 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 4,810 | 4,762 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 16,577 | 14,389 |
Electric transmission and distribution | Houston Electric |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 37 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 18,645 | 16,800 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 3,647 | 3,641 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 14,998 | 13,159 |
Electric generation |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 25 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 1,107 | 1,381 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 154 | 315 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 953 | 1,066 |
Natural gas distribution |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 32 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 16,399 | 16,492 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 4,326 | 4,337 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 12,073 | 12,155 |
Natural gas distribution | CERC |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 32 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 15,474 | 15,591 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 4,118 | 4,136 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 11,356 | 11,455 |
Finance ROU asset |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Finance Lease, term of contract (in years) | 7 years 6 months |  |
Finance lease right of use assets, gross | $ 662 | 662 |
Finance lease right of use assets, accumulated amortization | 232 | 136 |
Finance lease right of use assets, net | $ 430 | 526 |
Finance ROU asset | Houston Electric |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Finance Lease, term of contract (in years) | 7 years 6 months |  |
Finance lease right of use assets, gross | $ 662 | 662 |
Finance lease right of use assets, accumulated amortization | 232 | 136 |
Finance lease right of use assets, net | $ 430 | 526 |
Other property |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 22 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 3,112 | 2,710 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 1,056 | 993 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 2,056 | 1,717 |
Other property | Houston Electric |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 20 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 2,443 | 2,053 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 749 | 692 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 1,694 | 1,361 |
Other property | CERC |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net, by Type [Abstract] |  |  |
Weighted Average Useful Lives (in years) | 11 years |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Gross | $ 78 | 81 |
Accumulated Depreciation & Amortization | 28 | 33 |
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net | $ 50 | $ 48 |

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- Definition Useful life of long lived, physical assets used in the normal conduct of business and not intended for resale, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Examples include, but not limited to, land, buildings, machinery and equipment, office equipment, furniture and fixtures, and computer equipment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
Name: | srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=cnp_SIGECOMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=cnp_HoustonElectricMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | dei_LegalEntityAxis=cnp_CercCorpMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ElectricTransmissionAndDistributionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_ElectricGenerationEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_GasDistributionEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=cnp_FinanceRightOfUseAssetMobileGenerationMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis=us-gaap_OtherCapitalizedPropertyPlantAndEquipmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |