Document:

EXHIBIT 10.6

 

PHANTOM
STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT

 

This Phantom
Stock  Award Agreement (the “Agreement”)
has been made as of February 19, 2009, (the
“Date of Grant”) between Duke Energy Corporation,
a Delaware corporation, with its principal offices in Charlotte, North Carolina
(the “Corporation”), and                               
(the “Grantee”).

 

RECITALS

 

Under the Duke Energy
Corporation 2006 Long-Term Incentive Plan, as it may, from time to time, be
further amended (the “Plan”), the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors of the Corporation (the “Committee”), or its delegatee, has
determined the form of this Agreement and selected the Grantee, as an Employee,
to receive the award evidenced by this Agreement (the “Award”) and the Phantom
Stock units and tandem Dividend Equivalents that are subject hereto.  The applicable provisions of the Plan are
incorporated in this Agreement by reference, including the definitions of terms
contained in the Plan (unless such terms are otherwise defined herein).

 

AWARD

 

In accordance with the Plan, the Corporation has
made this Award, effective as of the Date of Grant and upon the following terms
and conditions:

 

Section
1.              Number and Nature of Phantom Stock Units and Tandem
Dividend Equivalents.  The
number of Phantom Stock units and the number of tandem Dividend Equivalents
subject to this Award are each                                                     .  Each Phantom Stock unit, upon becoming
vested, represents a right to receive payment in the form of one (1) share of
Common Stock.  Each tandem Dividend
Equivalent represents a right to receive cash payments equivalent to the amount
of cash dividends declared and paid on one (1) share of Common Stock after the
Date of Grant and before the Dividend Equivalent expires.  Phantom Stock units and Dividend Equivalents
are used solely as units of measurement, and are not shares of Common Stock and
the Grantee is not, and has no rights as, a shareholder of the Corporation by
virtue of this Award.

 

Section 2.              Vesting of Phantom
Stock Units.  The
specified percentage of the Phantom Stock units subject to this Award, and not
previously forfeited, shall vest, with such percentage considered satisfied to
the extent such Phantom Stock units have previously vested, as follows:

 

(a)           Upon Grantee remaining continuously employed by the
Corporation, including Subsidiaries, through the specified anniversary of the
Date

 

1

 

of
Grant (each a “Vesting Date”),  with respect to the percentage of Phantom Stock units set forth next to
such date:

 

	
  Vesting Percentage

  	
   

  	
  Anniversary

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  	
   

  
	
  33-1/3%

  	
   

  	
  1st

  	
   

  
	
  66-2/3%

  	
   

  	
  2nd

  	
   

  
	
  100%

  	
   

  	
  3rd

  	
   

  

 

For
purposes of vesting under this Section 2(a), if such employment terminates
upon Retirement, which is defined as termination at a time when Grantee has
attained age 55 and has at least five years of vesting service under the Duke
Energy Retirement Cash Balance Plan or Cinergy Corp. Non-Union Employees’
Pension Plan, or under another retirement plan of the Corporation or Subsidiary
which plan the Committee, or the delegatee, in its sole discretion, determines
to be the functional equivalent of the Duke Energy Retirement Cash Balance Plan
or Cinergy Corp. Non-Union Employees’ Pension Plan, then Grantee’s employment
shall be considered to continue, with continued vesting under this Section 2(a),
unless the Committee or its delegatee, in its sole discretion, determines that
Grantee is in violation of any obligation identified in Section 3, in
which case any such Phantom Stock units not previously vested, or vested by
application of the following sentence shall be forfeited, or unless the Grantee
dies, in which case the Phantom Stock units subject to this Award shall vest in
accordance with the following sentences. 
If such employment terminates (i) as the result of Grantee’s death
or (ii) as the result of Grantee’s permanent and total disability within
the meaning of Code Section 22(e)(3), all Phantom Stock units subject to
this Award, which units have not previously been forfeited or vested,
immediately shall become fully vested. 
If such employment terminates (i) as the result of termination of
such employment by the Corporation, or employing Subsidiary, other than for
cause, as determined by the Committee or its delegatee or (ii) as the
direct and sole result, as determined by the Committee or its delegatee, in its
sole discretion, of the divestiture of assets, a business or a company, by the
Corporation or a Subsidiary, the Phantom Stock units subject to this Award
shall vest at such vesting percentage determined by the Committee or its
delegatee, in its sole discretion, by prorating from the above schedule to
reflect only that portion of the period beginning on the Date of Grant and
ending with the third (3rd) anniversary of the Date of Grant during
which such employment continued while Grantee was entitled to payment of
salary, and any such Phantom Stock units not then or previously vested shall be
forfeited.

 

Unless
the Grantee would satisfy the definition of Retirement upon termination of
employment (i.e., Grantee is “Retirement-eligible”)
on the Date of Grant or could become Retirement-eligible during the vesting
period, in the event that at a time when vesting would otherwise occur under
this Section 2(a) Grantee is on an employer-approved, personal leave
of absence, then, unless prohibited by law, vesting shall be postponed and
shall not occur unless and until Grantee returns to active service in
accordance with the terms of the approved personal leave of 

 

2

 

absence
and before January 14 of the calendar year immediately following the
calendar year in which the leave commenced. 
In the event Grantee does not return to active service from such leave
of absence prior to January 14 of the calendar year immediately following
the calendar year in which the leave commenced, any Phantom Stock units covered
by this Award that were not vested as of the commencement of such leave shall
be immediately forfeited (as if Grantee terminated employment for purposes of Section 4
hereof).

 

(b)           100%, if, following the occurrence of
a Change in Control and before the second anniversary of such occurrence, such
employment is terminated involuntarily, and not for cause, by the Corporation,
or employing Subsidiary, as determined by the Committee or its delegatee in its
sole discretion.

 

Section 3.              Violation of Grantee Obligation.  In consideration of the continued vesting
opportunity provided under Section 2 following the termination of Grantee’s
continuous employment by the Corporation, including Subsidiaries, due to
Retirement, Grantee agrees that during the period beginning with such
termination of employment and ending with the third anniversary of the Date of
Grant (“Restricted Period”), Grantee shall not (i) without the prior
written consent of the Corporation, or its delegatee, become employed by, serve
as a principal, partner, or member of the board of directors of, or in any
similar capacity with, or otherwise provide service to, a competitor, to the
detriment of the Corporation or any Subsidiary, (ii) violate any of
Grantee’s other noncompetition obligations, or any of Grantee’s nonsolicitation
or nondisclosure obligations, to the Corporation or any Subsidiary; or (iii) except
as required by subpoena or other legal process (in which event the Grantee will
give the Chief Legal Officer of the Corporation prompt notice of such subpoena
or other legal process in order to permit the Corporation or any affected
individual to seek appropriate protective orders), publish or provide any oral
or written statements about the Corporation or any Subsidiary, any of the
Corporation’s or any Subsidiary’s current or former officers, executives,
directors, employees, agents or representatives or any initiative, program or
policy of the Corporation or any Subsidiary relating to any matter whatsoever
that are disparaging, slanderous, libelous or defamatory, or that disclose
private or confidential information about their business affairs, or that
constitute an intrusion into their private lives, or that give rise to
unreasonable publicity about their private lives, or that place them in a false
light before the public, or that constitute a misappropriation of their name or
likeness.  The noncompetition obligations
of clause (i) of the preceding sentence shall be limited in scope and
shall be effective only with respect to competition with the Corporation or any
Subsidiary in the businesses of: 
production, transmission, distribution, or retail or wholesale marketing
or selling of electricity; resale or arranging for the purchase or for the
resale, brokering, marketing, or trading of electricity or derivatives thereof;
energy management and the provision of energy solutions; development and
management of fiber optic communications systems; development and operation of
power generation facilities, and sales and marketing of electric power,
domestically and abroad; and any other business in 

 

3

 

which the Corporation, including
Subsidiaries, is engaged at the termination of Grantee’s continuous employment
by the Corporation, including Subsidiaries; and within the following
geographical areas (i) any country in the world where the Corporation,
including Subsidiaries, has at least US$25 million in capital deployed as of
termination of Grantee’s continuous employment by Corporation, including
Subsidiaries; (ii) the continent of North America; (iii) the United
States of America and Canada; (iv) the United States of America; (v) the
states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Texas,
California, Massachusetts, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Colorado, Oklahoma and
Louisiana; (vi) the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas,
Colorado, Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana; and (vii) any state or states with
respect to which was conducted a business of the Corporation, including
Subsidiaries, which business constituted a substantial portion of Grantee’s
employment.  The Corporation and Grantee
intend the above restrictions on competition in geographical areas to be
entirely severable and independent, and any invalidity or enforceability of
this provision with respect to any one or more of such restrictions, including
areas, shall not render this provision unenforceable as applied to any one or
more of the other restrictions, including areas.  If any part of this provision is held to be
unenforceable because of the duration, scope or area covered, the Corporation
and Grantee agree to modify such part, or that the court making such holding
shall have the power to modify such part, to reduce its duration, scope or
area, including deletion of specific words and phrases, i.e., “blue penciling”,
and in its modified, reduced or blue pencil form, such part shall become
enforceable and shall be enforced. 
Nothing in Section 3 shall be construed to prohibit Grantee from
being retained during the Restricted Period in a capacity as an attorney
licensed to practice law, or to restrict Grantee from providing advice and
counsel in such capacity, in any jurisdiction where such prohibition or
restriction is contrary to law.

 

Section 4.              Forfeiture.  Any
Phantom Stock unit subject to this Award shall be forfeited upon the
termination of Grantee’s continuous employment by the Corporation, including
Subsidiaries, from the Date of Grant, except to the extent otherwise provided
in Section 2.  Any Dividend
Equivalent subject to this Award shall expire at the time the unit of Phantom
Stock with respect to which the Dividend Equivalent is in tandem (i) is
vested and paid, or deferred, or (ii) is forfeited.

 

Section 5.              Dividend
Equivalent Payments.  Payments
with respect to any Dividend Equivalent subject to this Award shall be paid in
cash to the Grantee within 60 days after the time cash dividends are declared
and paid with respect to the Common Stock on or after the Date of Grant and
before the Dividend Equivalent expires, but in no event later than the calendar
year in which the dividends are declared and paid.  However, should the timing of a particular
payment under Section 6 to the Grantee in shares of Common Stock in
conjunction with the timing of a particular cash dividend declared and paid on
Common Stock be such that the Grantee receives such shares without the right to
receive such dividend and the Grantee would not otherwise be entitled to 

 

4

 

payment
under the expiring Dividend Equivalent with respect to such dividend, the
Grantee, nevertheless, shall be entitled to such payment.  Dividend Equivalent payments shall be subject
to withholding for taxes. Any required income tax withholdings in respect of
Dividend Equivalents attributable to Phantom Stock units shall be satisfied by
reducing the cash payment in respect of the required withholding amount, unless
the Committee, or its delegatee, in its discretion, requires Grantee to satisfy
such tax obligation by other payment to the Corporation.

 

Section 6.              Payment of Phantom Stock Units.  Payment of Phantom Stock units
subject to this Award shall be made to the Grantee as soon as practicable
following the time such units become vested in accordance with Section 2
but in no event later than 60 days following such vesting, except to the extent
deferred by Grantee in accordance with such procedures as the Committee, or its
delegatee, may prescribe from time to time or except to the extent required to
avoid accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the
Code.  To the extent that Grantee would
satisfy the definition of Retirement upon termination of employment (i.e., Grantee is “Retirement-eligible”) on the Date of Grant
or could become Retirement-eligible during the vesting period, or the Grantee’s
right to receive payment of the Phantom Stock units otherwise constitutes a “deferral
of compensation” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code, then
notwithstanding the first sentence of this Section 6, except in the event
that the Grantee’s employment terminates as a result of death, payment of
vested Phantom Stock units subject to this Award shall be made to the Grantee
in three equal installments, with each installment due within 60 days following
the applicable Vesting Date as provided in Section 2(a), except to the
extent deferred by Grantee as provided herein. 
Payment (or deferrals, as applicable) shall be subject to withholding
for taxes.  Payment shall be in the form
of one (1) share of Common Stock for each full vested unit of Phantom
Stock and any fractional vested unit of Phantom Stock shall be made in a cash
amount equal in value to the shares of Common Stock that would otherwise be
paid, valued at Fair Market Value on the date the respective Phantom Stock
units became vested, or if later, payable. 
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the number of shares of Common Stock that
would otherwise be paid or deferred (valued at Fair Market Value on the date
the respective unit of Phantom Stock became vested, or if later, payable) shall
be reduced by the Committee, or its delegatee, in its sole discretion, to fully
satisfy tax withholding requirements, unless the Committee, or its delegatee,
in its discretion requires Grantee to satisfy such tax obligation by other
payment to the Corporation.  In the event
that payment, after any such reduction in the number of shares of Common Stock
to satisfy withholding for tax requirements, would be less than ten (10) shares
of Common Stock, then, if so determined by the Committee, or its delegatee, in
its sole discretion, payment, instead of being made in shares of Common Stock,
shall be made in a cash amount equal in value to the shares of Common Stock
that would otherwise be paid, valued at Fair Market Value on the date the
respective Phantom Stock units became vested, or if later, payable.

 

5

 

Section 7.              No Employment
Rights.  Nothing in this Agreement or in the Plan
shall confer upon the Grantee the right to continued employment by the
Corporation or any Subsidiary, or affect the right of the Corporation or any
Subsidiary to terminate the employment or service of the Grantee at any time
for any reason.

 

Section 8.              Nonalienation.  The Phantom Stock units and
Dividend Equivalents subject to this Award are not assignable or transferable
by the Grantee.  Upon any attempt to
transfer, assign, pledge, hypothecate, sell or otherwise dispose of any such
Phantom Stock unit or Dividend Equivalent, or of any right or privilege
conferred hereby, or upon the levy of any attachment or similar process upon
such Phantom Stock unit or Dividend Equivalent, or upon such right or
privilege, such Phantom Stock unit or Dividend Equivalent or right or
privilege, shall immediately become null and void.

 

Section 9.              Determinations.  Determinations by the Committee,
or its delegatee, shall be final and conclusive with respect to the
interpretation of the Plan and this Agreement.

 

Section 10.            Governing Law.  The validity and construction of
this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of Delaware
applicable to transactions taking place entirely within that state.

 

Section 11.            Conflicts with Plan, Correction
of Errors, Section 409A and Grantee’s Consent.  In the event that any provision
of this Agreement conflicts in any way with a provision of the Plan, such Plan
provision shall be controlling and the applicable provision of this Agreement
shall be without force and effect to the extent necessary to cause such Plan
provision to be controlling.  In the
event that, due to administrative error, this Agreement does not accurately
reflect a Phantom Stock Award properly granted to Grantee pursuant to the Plan,
the Corporation, acting through its Executive Compensation and Benefits
Department, reserves the right to cancel any erroneous document and, if
appropriate, to replace the cancelled document with a corrected document.  It is the intention of the Corporation and
the Grantee that this Award not result in unfavorable tax consequences to
Grantee under Code Section 409A. 
Accordingly, Grantee consents to such amendment of this Agreement as the
Corporation may reasonably make in furtherance of such intention, and the
Corporation shall promptly provide, or make available to, Grantee a copy of any
such amendment.

 

To the extent applicable, it
is intended that this Agreement comply with the provisions of Section 409A
of the Code and that this Award not result in unfavorable tax consequences to
Grantee under Section 409A of the Code. 
This Agreement will be administered and interpreted in a manner
consistent with this intent, and any provision that would cause this Agreement
to fail to satisfy Section 409A of the Code will have no force and effect
until amended to comply therewith (which amendment may be retroactive to the
extent permitted by 

 

6

 

Section 409A
of the Code).  The Corporation and the
Grantee agree to work together in good faith in an effort to comply with Section 409A
of the Code including, if necessary, amending this Agreement based on further
guidance issued by the Internal Revenue Service from time to time, provided
that the Corporation shall not be required to assume any increased economic
burden.  Notwithstanding anything
contained herein to the contrary, to the extent required in order to avoid
accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code,
the Grantee shall not be considered to have terminated employment with
Corporation for purposes of this Agreement and no payments shall be due to him
under this Agreement which are payable upon his termination of employment until
he would be considered to have incurred a “separation from service” from the
Corporation within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code.  To the extent required in order to avoid
accelerated taxation and/or tax penalties under Section 409A of the Code,
amounts that would otherwise be payable and benefits that would otherwise be
provided pursuant to this Agreement during the six-month period immediately
following the Grantee’s termination of employment shall instead be paid within
60 days following the first business day after the date that is six months
following his termination of employment (or upon his death, if earlier).  In addition, for purposes of this Agreement,
each amount to be paid or benefit to be provided to the Grantee pursuant to this
Agreement shall be construed as a separate identified payment for purposes of Section 409A
of the Code.

 

Section 12.            Compliance with Law.  The Corporation shall make reasonable
efforts to comply with all applicable federal and state securities laws
applicable to the Plan and this Award; provided, however, notwithstanding any
other provision of this Award, the Corporation shall not be obligated to
deliver any shares of Common Stock pursuant to this Award if the delivery
thereof would result in a violation of any such law.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing,
this Award is subject to cancellation by the Corporation in its sole discretion
unless the Grantee, by not later than                   
    , 2009, has signed a duplicate of this
Agreement, in the space provided below, and returned the signed duplicate to
the Executive Compensation and Benefits Department - Phantom Stock [(STO6E)],
Duke Energy Corporation, P. O. Box 1007, Charlotte, NC 28201-1007, which,
if, and to the extent, permitted by the Executive Compensation and Benefits
Department, may be accomplished by electronic means.

 

7

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the
Corporation has caused this Agreement to be executed and granted in Charlotte,
North Carolina, to be effective as of the Date of Grant.

 

 

	
  ATTEST:

  	
  DUKE ENERGY CORPORATION

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
  By:

  	
   

  	
  By:

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Corporate Secretary

  	
  Its:

  	
  Chief Executive Officer

  

 

 

Acceptance of Phantom Stock Award

 

IN WITNESS OF Grantee’s
acceptance of this Award and Grantee’s agreement to be bound by the provisions
of this Agreement and the Plan, Grantee has signed this Agreement this           
day of                                           , 2009.

 

 

	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  Grantee’s Signature

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  (print name)

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
   

  
	
   

  	
  (address)

  
	
   

  	
   

  

 

8exhibit4e31.htm

    Exhibit
4(e)(31)

    

    CenterPoint
Energy Houston Electric, LLC

    1111
Louisiana

    Houston,
TX  77002

    

    =====================================================================

    

    CENTERPOINT
ENERGY HOUSTON ELECTRIC, LLC

    

    TO

    

    THE BANK
OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION

    (successor
in trust to JPMORGAN CHASE BANK),

    as
Trustee

    

    

    ----------

    

     

    TWENTY-FIRST
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE

    

    

    Dated as
of January 9, 2009

    

     

    ----------

    

    

    Supplementing
the General Mortgage Indenture

    Dated as
of October 10, 2002

    Filed
under file number 030004510538 in the

    Office of
the Secretary of State as an instrument

    granting
a security interest by a public utility

    

    

    THIS
INSTRUMENT GRANTS A SECURITY INTEREST BY A PUBLIC UTILITY

    

    THIS
INSTRUMENT CONTAINS AFTER-ACQUIRED PROPERTY PROVISIONS

    

    

    This
instrument is being filed pursuant to Chapter 35 of the Texas Business and
Commerce Code

    

    =====================================================================

    

    
      
        
           

        

         

      

      
         

        
          

        

      

      
         

      

    

    TWENTY-FIRST
SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE, dated as of January 9, 2009, between CENTERPOINT ENERGY
HOUSTON ELECTRIC, LLC, a limited liability company organized and existing under
the laws of the State of Texas (herein called the “Company”), having its
principal office at 1111 Louisiana, Houston, Texas 77002, and THE BANK OF NEW
YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (successor in trust to JPMORGAN
CHASE BANK), a limited purpose national banking association duly organized and
existing under the laws of the United States, as Trustee (herein called the
“Trustee”), the office of the Trustee at which on the date hereof its corporate
trust business is administered being 601 Travis Street, 16th Floor, Houston,
Texas 77002.

    

    RECITALS
OF THE COMPANY

    

    WHEREAS,
the Company has heretofore executed and delivered to the Trustee a General
Mortgage Indenture dated as of October 10, 2002, as supplemented and amended
(the “Indenture”), providing for the issuance by the Company from time to time
of its bonds, notes or other evidence of indebtedness to be issued in one or
more series (in the Indenture and herein called the “Securities”) and to provide
security for the payment of the principal of and premium, if any, and interest,
if any, on the Securities; and

    

    WHEREAS,
the Company, in the exercise of the power and authority conferred upon and
reserved to it under the provisions of the Indenture and pursuant to appropriate
resolutions of the Manager, has duly determined to make, execute and deliver to
the Trustee this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture to the Indenture as
permitted by Sections 201, 301, 403(2) and 1401 of the Indenture in order to
establish the form or terms of, and to provide for the creation and issuance of,
a twenty-first series of Securities under the Indenture in an initial aggregate
principal amount of $500,000,000 (such twenty-first series being hereinafter
referred to as the “Twenty-First Series”); and

    

    WHEREAS,
all things necessary to make the Securities of the Twenty-First Series, when
executed by the Company and authenticated and delivered by the Trustee or any
Authenticating Agent and issued upon the terms and subject to the conditions
hereinafter and in the Indenture set forth against payment therefor the valid,
binding and legal obligations of the Company and to make this Twenty-First
Supplemental Indenture a valid, binding and legal agreement of the Company, have
been done; and

    

    NOW,
THEREFORE, THIS TWENTY-FIRST SUPPLEMENTAL INDENTURE WITNESSETH that, in order to
establish the terms of a series of Securities, and for and in consideration of
the premises and of the covenants contained in the Indenture and in this
Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture and for other good and valuable
consideration the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, it
is mutually covenanted and agreed as follows:

    

    
      
        
           

        

         

      

      
         

        
          

        

      

      
         

      

    

    ARTICLE
ONE

    

    DEFINITIONS
AND OTHER PROVISIONS

    OF
GENERAL APPLICATION

    

     Section
101.  Definitions.  Each
capitalized term that is used herein and is defined in the Indenture shall have
the meaning specified in the Indenture unless such term is otherwise defined
herein.

     

    

     

    ARTICLE
TWO

    

    TITLE,
FORM AND TERMS OF THE BONDS

    

     Section
201.  Title
of the Bonds.  This Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture hereby
creates a series of Securities designated as the “7.00% General Mortgage Bonds,
Series U, due 2014” (the “Bonds”).  For purposes of the Indenture, the
Bonds shall constitute a single series of Securities and, subject to the
provisions, including, but not limited to Article Four of the Indenture, the
Bonds shall be issued in an aggregate principal amount of
$500,000,000.

     

     Section
202.  Form
and Terms of the Bonds.  The form and terms of the Bonds will
be set forth in an Officer’s Certificate delivered by the Company to the Trustee
pursuant to the authority granted by this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture in
accordance with Sections 201 and 301 of the Indenture.

     

     Section
203.  Treatment of Proceeds of
Title Insurance Policy.  Any moneys received by the Trustee as
proceeds of any title insurance policy on Mortgaged Property of the Company
shall be subject to and treated in accordance with the provisions of Section
607(2) of the Indenture (other than the last paragraph thereof).

     

    

    ARTICLE
THREE

    

    MISCELLANEOUS
PROVISIONS

    

    The
Trustee makes no undertaking or representations in respect of, and shall not be
responsible in any manner whatsoever for and in respect of, the validity or
sufficiency of this Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture or the proper
authorization or the due execution hereof by the Company or for or in respect of
the recitals and statements contained herein, all of which recitals and
statements are made solely by the Company.

    

    Except as
expressly amended and supplemented hereby, the Indenture shall continue in full
force and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof and the Indenture is
in all respects hereby ratified and confirmed.  This Twenty-First
Supplemental Indenture and all of its provisions shall be deemed a part of the
Indenture in the manner and to the extent herein and therein
provided.

    

    This
Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the law of the State of New York.

    

    This
Twenty-First Supplemental Indenture may be executed in any number of
counterparts, each of which so executed shall be deemed to be an original, but
all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same
instrument.

    

    

    
      
        
           

        

         

      

      
         

        
          

        

      

      
         

      

    

     IN
WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Twenty-First Supplemental
Indenture to be duly executed as of the day and year first above
written.

     

    

    CENTERPOINT
ENERGY HOUSTON ELECTRIC, LLC

    

    

    
      
        
          
            
              
                
                  
                    	
                            By:

                          	
                            /s/
      Marc Kilbride

                          
	 
      	
                            Name:
      Marc Kilbride

                          
	 
      	
                            Title: Vice President and
  Treasurer

                          

                  

                

              

            

          

        

      

    

    

    
      	
               
      

            	
              THE
      BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION (successor in
      trust to JPMORGAN CHASE BANK), as
Trustee

            

    

    

    

    
      
        
          
            
              	
                      By:

                    	
                      /s/
      Marcella Burgess

                    
	 
      	
                      Name:
      Assistant Vice President

                    
	 
      	
                      Title:

                    

            

          

        

      

    

    

    

    

    ACKNOWLEDGMENT

    

    

    STATE OF
TEXAS        )

                      )    ss

    COUNTY OF
HARRIS          )

     

     

    On the
9th day of January 2009, before me personally came Marc Kilbride, to me known,
who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he or she resides in
Houston, Texas; that he or she is the Vice President and Treasurer of
CenterPoint Energy Houston Electric, LLC, a Texas limited liability company, the
limited liability company described in and which executed the foregoing
instrument; and that he signed his name thereto by authority of the sole manager
of said limited liability company.

    

    
      
        
          
            
              	 
      	
                      /s/
      Amelia Oviedo

                    
	 
      	
                      Notary
      Public

                    

            

          

        

      

    

    

    
      
         

      

      
         

        
          

        

      

      
         

      

    

    ACKNOWLEDGMENT

    

    
      

      
        
          STATE OF
TEXAS        )

                            )    ss

          COUNTY OF
HARRIS          )

           

        

         

      

    

    On the
9th day of January 2009, before me personally came Marcella Burgess, to me
known, who, being by me duly sworn, did depose and say that he or she resides in
Houston, Texas; that he or she is Assistant Vice President of The Bank of New
York Mellon Trust Company, National Association, a national banking association
organized under the laws of the United States, the national banking association
described in and which executed the foregoing instrument; and that she signed
her name thereto by authority of the board of directors of said national banking
association.

    

    

    
      
        
          
            
              
                
                  
                    
                      
                        
                          
                            	 
      	
                                    /s/
      Vicki L. Anderson

                                  
	 
      	
                                    Notary
      Public

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