This document will help you understand more about our policies concerning customer information in the online environment of our Web site. It focuses on the information we collect from you in conducting your business and how we use your information.

Information we collect
CenterPoint Energy gathers from you only the information necessary to provide the services or products you have specifically requested online. This information may include your name, address, telephone number, e-mail address,
registered account services, and purchased products or services.

Your preferences in visiting our Web site
When you visit our Web site, you can do so anonymously. We may collect basic information such as your Internet service provider, computer operating system and browser, as well as the date, time and length of your visit and the pages you view. This information will be used to help us improve our site's usefulness. By understanding more about our customers' preferences, we can continue to improve the content, navigation and function of our Web site. For some requests or account transactions, we will ask for more detailed personal information, such as your name, address and/or telephone number, password and e-mail address (User ID).

How we use your information
We use the information you provide us only to deliver the products, services, or information you have specifically requested online. We try to respond to all online requests and transactions within one business day. Requests may include access to My Account Online, where you can review your bill, pay it online or change your account information; enrollment in account services such as Online Billing, Automatic Bank Draft, Budget Plan/Average Monthly Billing, No Surprise Bill or Energy Information Online; start/stop/transfer service requests;

We may periodically send you information about new products and services or upcoming events. You may request that we not send you such information by contacting us as noted below. In other cases, we release customer information only when:

• We have your written authorization
• We are ordered to produce the records by court subpoena or by written request from a police department, agency or other state department in the course of an official investigation
• We are asked in writing by a landlord (or property manager) to release information related to their property ownership interest in the property

Information from minors
To protect the privacy of children under the age of 18 who may visit our Web site, CenterPoint Energy avoids collecting any personal information about or from minors who may visit. We encourage adults to monitor children's use of the Internet. If you believe your child has unintentionally submitted personal information to us, we will gladly delete it at your request.

Other important information
Regardless of the many precautions we take, CenterPoint Energy recognizes that Internet security can never be fully guaranteed. Our site also contains links to the sites of industry, trade ally or community organizations with which we do business. We provide access only to those sites that we believe will be of value to you, but we are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

Changes to our policy
Updates to this online Privacy and Security Statement may be made periodically and will be posted online at this location. Contact us with questions or concerns.