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 * CARROLL MILTON   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol CENTERPOINT ENERGY INC [CNP] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 1111 LOUISIANA 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 06/01/2006 (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 06/01/2006   A   3,000 (1) A (2) 97,000 (3) 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
CARROLL MILTON 1111 LOUISIANA HOUSTON, TX 77002	X

Signatures

Richard B. Dauphin, Attorney in Fact		06/05/2006
**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)	This common stock is time based restricted stock that will vest in one-third increments on June 1, 2007, June 1, 2008 and June 1, 2009 if the reporting person is a director of Issuer through such dates; provided however, the shares become fully vested in the event of a change of control of issuer.
(2)	Price is not applicable.
(3)	Includes 20,000 shares of common stock that may be issued on October 1, 2006 at the election of the reporting person in lieu of a cash award equal to the product of (i) 20,000 and (ii) the closing price per share of CenterPoint Energy, Inc.'s common stock on the consolidated reporting system for the New York Stock Exchange on the award date in connection with his compensation arrangement as non-executive chairman of the board of the company. Also includes 2,000 shares of time based restricted stock awarded in 2004 that will vest in one-half increments on July 1, 2006 and July 1, 2007; and 3,000 shares of time based restricted stock awarded in 2005 that will vest in one-third increments on July 1, 2006, July 1, 2007 and July 1, 2008 if the reporting person is a director of the company through such dates; provided however, the shares become fully vested in the event of a change of control of the company.

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