MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 19 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- CenterPoint Energy's Home Service Plus® (HSP) launched a newly redesigned Web site today, HSPtoday.com, featuring a new online appointment scheduling tool, expanded energy efficiency information and new, promotional discounts. The online scheduling tool provides customers the convenience of scheduling their own furnace, a/c and appliance repair appointments at any time, and because the tool accesses the same appointment information used by HSP's phone center, customers can schedule their appointments without ever placing a phone call.

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"We know that saving time, energy and money are important to our customers," said Joe Vortherms, HSP director for CenterPoint Energy. "And with winter fast approaching, we wanted to make it easier than ever for customers to get ready by scheduling their furnace tune-ups, safety inspections and appliance repairs with us."

All Minnesota customers who have a CenterPoint Energy natural gas or HSP account can now schedule HSP repair and maintenance services at HSPtoday.com. In addition to scheduling appointments, customers can review past appointments, check on pending appointments, or cancel and reschedule appointments. If a customer schedules an appliance repair and they are due for a furnace tune-up, the site will automatically offer to schedule both services at the same time.

About Home Service Plus® and CenterPoint Energy

Home Service Plus® is CenterPoint Energy's non-regulated business providing repair plans, repair and maintenance services and new product sales and installation in the categories of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and home appliances. HSP serves the Minneapolis / St. Paul Twin Cities metro area and Greater Minnesota.

CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (NYSE: CNP), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy delivery company that includes electric transmission and distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas sales and services, interstate pipelines and field services operations. The company serves more than five million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Texas. Assets total nearly $19 billion. With about 8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 135 years. In Minnesota, CenterPoint Energy is the state's largest natural gas distribution utility, serving nearly 790,000 customers in 260 communities. For more information, visit HSPtoday.com and www.CenterPointEnergy.com.

    For more information contact:
    Becca Virden
    Phone   612.321.4879
    Pager   612.538.1234

SOURCE CenterPoint Energy, Inc.