Exhibit
12





CENTERPOINT
ENERGY HOUSTON ELECTRIC, LLC AND SUBSIDIARIES


(AN
INDIRECT WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY OF CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.)





COMPUTATION
OF RATIOS OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES


(Millions
of Dollars)





Year
      Ended December 31,2005
                                      
                                      
                                      2006
                                      
                                      
                                      2007 (1)
                                      
                                      
                                      2008 (1)
                                      
                                      
                                      2009 (1)Net Income
                                      
                                      $
                                      223
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      271
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      273
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      222
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      208Income
      taxes
                                      
                                      
                                      108
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      132
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      126
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      121
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      102Capitalized
      interest
                                      
                                      
                                      (3
                                      )
                                      
                                      
                                      (4
                                      )
                                      
                                      
                                      (10
                                      )
                                      
                                      
                                      (7
                                      )
                                      
                                      
                                      (3
                                      )328
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      399
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      389
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      336
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      307Fixed
      charges, as defined:Interest
                                      
                                      
                                      328
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      240
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      230
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      245
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      289Capitalized
    interest
                                      
                                      
                                      3
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      4
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      10
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      7
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      3Interest component of rentals
      charged to
                                        operating expense
                                      
                                      
                                      1
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      2
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      1
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      2
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      ─Total fixed
charges
                                      
                                      
                                      332
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      246
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      241
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      254
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      292Earnings,
      as defined
                                      
                                      $
                                      660
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      645
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      630
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      590
                                      
                                      
                                      $
                                      599Ratio
      of earnings to fixed charges
                                      
                                      
                                      1.99
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      2.62
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      2.61
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      2.32
                                      
                                      
                                      
                                      2.05


________


(1)
            Excluded
      from the computation of fixed charges for the years ended December 31,
      2007, 2008 and 2009 is interest expense of $4 million, $7 million and
      $1 million, respectively, which is included in income tax
      expense.