> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://nectarclimate.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Centerpoint Energy

> How to connect CenterPoint Energy accounts to Nectar using email MFA forwarding.

## Connection Method: Email MFA Forwarding

MFA cannot be disabled. CenterPoint Energy requires email verification on every login, so forward CenterPoint Energy's verification code emails to a Nectar-provided address so we can complete login on your behalf:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Start a new connection or reconnect">
    From [Data Input > Connections](/docs/platform/data-input/connections), click **New connection** and select **CenterPoint Energy**, or click **Reconnect** on an existing connection showing **MFA Required** or **MFA Token Expired**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter your CenterPoint Energy credentials">
    In the wizard, enter the username and password Nectar should use to log in to CenterPoint Energy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose MFA forwarding type">
    The wizard presents two options:

    * **Managed forwarding:** Nectar provides a unique email address (for example, `nectar-forward-to-your-company@nectarclimate.com`). Update your CenterPoint Energy account's email address to this Nectar-provided address so codes are sent directly to us.
    * **Customer-inbox forwarding (recommended):** Keep your current email on CenterPoint Energy, and set up an auto-forwarding rule in your email client to forward CenterPoint Energy verification emails to the Nectar-provided address (for example, `nectar-forward-to-your-company@nectarclimate.com`).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get your Nectar forwarding address">
    The wizard provides a unique forwarding address for your organization (for example, `nectar-forward-to-your-company@nectarclimate.com`). Copy it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set up email forwarding in your inbox">
    In the mailbox that receives CenterPoint Energy verification codes, create a forwarding rule that sends messages from CenterPoint Energy to the Nectar address from Step 2.

    * **Sender / from:** `no-reply@centerpointenergy.com` (and any other CenterPoint Energy sender addresses your account uses)
    * **Forward to:** the Nectar address from Step 2
    * **Keep a copy** in the original inbox if you still want to see the codes

    Common setup guides:

    * [Gmail: automatic forwarding](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10957?hl=en)
    * [Outlook / Microsoft 365: forwarding rules](https://support.microsoft.com/office/use-rules-to-automatically-forward-messages-45aa9664-4911-4f96-9663-ece42816d746)
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the forwarding address (if required)">
    Most email providers send a confirmation code to the forwarding address before enabling the rule. Nectar receives and confirms this automatically, usually within a few minutes.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Confirm the setup">
    Nectar triggers a test login. When the verification code is forwarded successfully, the connection moves to **Connected**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Alternative

If configuring email forwarding is not practical, consider uploading data directly into [Nectar](https://dash.nectarclimate.com/data-input/uploads).

## Troubleshooting

| Issue                               | Solution                                                                                                   |
| ----------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| "MFA Token Expired" keeps returning | Your forwarding rule may be broken. Check that forwarding is active and the email address matches exactly. |
| "Website Down" status               | CenterPoint Energy's portal occasionally has outages. The connection retries automatically.                |