Exhibit
12





CENTERPOINT
ENERGY RESOURCES CORP. 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
                        
                        $
                        193
                        
                        
                        $
                        207
                        
                        
                        $
                        287
                        
                        
                        $
                        343
                        
                        
                        $
                        230Equity
      in earnings of unconsolidated
                          affiliates,
      net of distributions
                        
                        
                        (6
                        )
                        
                        
                        (5
                        )
                        
                        
                        (13
                        )
                        
                        
                        (51
                        )
                        
                        
                        (3
                        )Income
      taxes
                        
                        
                        116
                        
                        
                        
                        116
                        
                        
                        
                        173
                        
                        
                        
                        228
                        
                        
                        
                        146Capitalized
      interest
                        
                        
                        (1
                        )
                        
                        
                        (6
                        )
                        
                        
                        (12
                        )
                        
                        
                        (5
                        )
                        
                        
                        (2
                        )302
                        
                        
                        
                        312
                        
                        
                        
                        435
                        
                        
                        
                        515
                        
                        
                        
                        371Fixed
      charges, as defined:Interest expense
                        
                        
                        176
                        
                        
                        
                        167
                        
                        
                        
                        187
                        
                        
                        
                        206
                        
                        
                        
                        213Capitalized
    interest
                        
                        
                        1
                        
                        
                        
                        6
                        
                        
                        
                        12
                        
                        
                        
                        5
                        
                        
                        
                        2Interest component of rentals
      charged
                          to operating expense
                        
                        
                        11
                        
                        
                        
                        17
                        
                        
                        
                        14
                        
                        
                        
                        13
                        
                        
                        
                        12Total fixed
charges
                        
                        
                        188
                        
                        
                        
                        190
                        
                        
                        
                        213
                        
                        
                        
                        224
                        
                        
                        
                        227Earnings,
      as defined
                        
                        $
                        490
                        
                        
                        $
                        502
                        
                        
                        $
                        648
                        
                        
                        $
                        739
                        
                        
                        $
                        598Ratio
      of earnings to fixed charges
                        
                        
                        2.61
                        
                        
                        
                        2.64
                        
                        
                        
                        3.04
                        
                        
                        
                        3.30
                        
                        
                        
                        2.63


________


(1)
            Excluded
      from the computation of fixed charges for the years ended December 31,
      2007, 2008 and 2009 is interest income of $2 million, $1 million
      and $-0-, respectively, which is included in income tax
      expense.