, ▁Texas ▁der eg ulated ▁the ▁electric ity ▁market ▁and ▁R eli ant ▁then ▁competed ▁against ▁other ▁energy ▁companies ▁like ▁Direct ▁Energy ▁and ▁T X U ▁Energy . ▁At ▁this ▁time , ▁R eli ant ▁Energy ▁also ▁separated ▁into ▁two ▁public ly ▁trad ed ▁companies : ▁R eli ant ▁Resources , ▁Inc . ▁and ▁Center Point ▁Energy , ▁Inc . ▁( ). ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Texas ▁der eg ulated ▁the ▁electric ity ▁market , ▁the ▁former ▁H L & P ▁was ▁split ▁into ▁several ▁companies . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁H L & P ▁was ▁split ▁into ▁R eli ant ▁Energy , ▁Texas ▁Gen co , ▁and ▁Center Point ▁Energy . ▁ ▁Center Point ▁Energy ▁was ▁created ▁when ▁R eli ant ▁Energy ▁merged ▁with ▁an ▁indirect ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Center Point ▁Energy , ▁Inc . ▁As ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁the ▁mer ger , ▁R eli ant ▁Energy ▁share hold ers ▁received ▁one ▁share ▁of ▁Center Point ▁common ▁stock ▁in ▁exchange ▁for ▁each ▁share ▁of ▁R RI ▁common ▁stock ▁they ▁held ▁before ▁the ▁mer ger . ▁A ▁reg ulated ▁utility , ▁Center Point ▁Energy ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁U . S . ▁energy ▁delivery ▁companies , ▁serving ▁ 4 . 7 ▁million ▁meter ed ▁customers . ▁In ▁late ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁Center Point ▁distributed ▁the ▁stock ▁of ▁R eli ant ▁Resources , ▁Inc . ▁to ▁Center Point ▁share hold ers . ▁This ▁spin - off ▁created ▁R eli ant ▁Resources ▁with ▁a ▁strategy ▁to ▁provide