Wendolynn Montoya Cloonan Form 3 CENTERPOINT ENERGY / Wendolynn Montoya Cloonan ownership change

CENTERPOINT ENERGY, INC.

POWER OF ATTORNEY

            WHEREAS, the undersigned, in his or her capacity as a director or
officer or both, as the case may be, of CenterPoint Energy, Inc., a Texas
corporation (the "Company"), may be required to file with the Securities and
Exchange Commission (the "Commission") under Section 16 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated
thereunder (collectively, the "Exchange Act"), Forms 3, 4, and 5 or other
reports, applications, and documents ("Forms") relating to the holdings of the
undersigned of and transactions in securities of the Company;

            NOW, THEREFORE, the undersigned, in his or her capacity as a
director or officer or both, as the case may be, of the Company, does hereby
appoint Vincent A. Mercaldi, and any duly appointed corporate secretary or
assistant corporate secretary of the Company, and each of them severally, as his
or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact or attorneys-in-fact and agent or agents
with power to act with or without the other and with full power of substitution
and resubstitution, to execute in his or her name, place and stead, in his or
her capacity as a director or officer or both, as the case may be, of the
Company, Forms and any and all amendments thereto and any and all instruments
necessary or incidental in connection therewith, if any, and to file the same
with the Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority.  Each said
attorney-in-fact and agent shall have full power and authority to do and perform
in the name and on behalf of the undersigned in any and all capacities, every
act whatsoever necessary or desirable to be done in the premises, as fully and
to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do in person, the
undersigned hereby ratifying and approving the acts of said attorney.  The
powers and authority of each said attorney-in-fact and agent herein granted
shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is no longer
required to file Forms under the Exchange Act, unless earlier revoked by the
undersigned by giving written notice of such revocation to the Company.  The
undersigned acknowledges that the said attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such
capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming, nor is the Company
assuming, any of the responsibilities of the undersigned to comply with the
Exchange Act.

	IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument this 19th day
of February, 2021.

                                          /s/ Wendolynn Montoya Cloonan
                                          Name:  Wendolynn Montoya Cloonan