5 Congestion Revenue Rights

Congestion Revenue Rights are a financial tool developed for the purpose of allowing load and exports to hedge against congestion charges paid when congestion occurs on a transmission line (aka congestion rents as was described in the previous section). If the congestion occurs in the same direction the CRR is held for the CRR holder is paid, but the CRR holder may have an obligation to pay if congestion occurs in the opposite direction.

Congestion revenue rights auction efficiency 1B became effective on January 1, 2019. It includes key changes related to the congestion revenue rights settlements process:

  • Targeted reduction of congestion revenue rights payouts on a constraint by constraint basis.
  • Distribute congestion revenues to the extent that CAISO collected the requisite revenue on the constraint over the month. That is, implement a pro-rata funding for CRRs.
  • Allow surpluses on one constraint in one hour to offset deficits on the same constraint in another hour over the course of the month.
  • Only distribute surpluses to congestion revenue rights if the surplus is collected on a constraint that the congestion revenue right accrued a deficit, and only up to the full target payment value of the congestion revenue right.
  • Distribute remaining surplus revenue at the end of the month, which are associated with constraints that collect more surplus over the month than deficits, to measured demand.

Monthly CRR Revenue

Figure 11 illustrates the daily CRR notional value in the corresponding month for the various transmission elements that experienced congestion during the month. CRR notional value is calculated as the product of CRR implied flow (MW) and constraint shadow price ($/MWh) in each hour per constraint and CRR.

Figure 11: Daily CRR Notional Value by Transmission Element

Daily CRR Notional Value by Transmission Element

Figure 12 illustrates the daily CRR offset value in the corresponding month for the transmission elements that experienced congestion during the month. CRR offset value is the difference between the revenue collected from the congestion and the CRR notional value. A positive CRR offset value represents surplus and a negative CRR offset value represents shortfall.

As shown below, table 6 shows the percentage of monthly CRR deficit by transmission element and Table 7 shows the percentage of monthly CRR surplus by transmission element.

Figure 12: Daily CRR Offset Value by Transmission Element

Daily CRR Offset Value by Transmission Element
Table 6: CRR Deficit by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
24801_DEVERS _500_24804_DEVERS _230_XF_1 _P 23.97
30040_TESLA _500_30050_LOSBANOS_500_BR_1 _1 23.03
Other 13.93
NOB_ITC 8.13
30055_GATES1 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_1 _1 7.18
OMS_17327759_CTL_EXP_NG 6.21
7820_TL23040_IV_SPS_NG 4.87
7820_TL 230S_OVERLOAD_NG 4.43
MIGUEL_BKs_MXFLW_NG 3.45
30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 2.66
OMS IV-ML OUTAGE_NG 2.15
Table 7: CRR Surplus by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
Other 30.97
IPPUTAH_ITC 16.73
MALIN500_ISL 15.16
32782_STATIN D_115_32788_STATIN L_115_BR_1 _1 14.02
31486_CARIBOU 115_30255_CARBOU M 1.0_XF_11 6.43
30580_ALTM MDW_230_30625_TESLA D _230_BR_1 _1 3.33
34214_LOS BANS_70.0_30765_LOSBANOS_230_XF_3 2.92
30790_PANOCHE _230_30900_GATES _230_BR_2 _1 2.90
7690-CONTRL-INYOKN_IMP_NG 2.76
30060_MIDWAY _500_24156_VINCENT _500_BR_2 _3 2.68
30005_ROUND MT_500_30245_ROUND MT_230_XF_1 _P 2.10

The main reasons for CRR offset shortfall were

  • *The transformer 24801_DEVERS _500_24804_DEVERS _230_XF_1 _P was binding throughout this month, resulting in offset shortfall of $6.27 million. *
  • *The line 30040_TESLA _500_30050_LOSBANOS_500_BR_1 _1 was binding in 20 days of this month, resulting in offset shortfall of $6.04 million.*

The main reason for CRR offset surplus were

  • The IPPUTAH_ITC inertie was binding in 11 days of this month, resulting in offset surplus of $0.42 million.
  • The MALIN500_ISL inertie was binding in three days of this month, resulting in offset surplus of $0.38 million.
  • *The line 32782_STATIN D_115_32788_STATIN L_115_BR_1 _1 was binding in 14 days of this month, resulting in offset surplus of $0.35 million.*

Table 8 shows the percentage of monthly CRR payment by transmission element.

Table 8: CRR Payment by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
24801_DEVERS _500_24804_DEVERS _230_XF_1 _P 24.21
30040_TESLA _500_30050_LOSBANOS_500_BR_1 _1 19.81
Other 16.51
30055_GATES1 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_1 _1 9.49
30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 7.12
24091_MESA CAL_230_24076_LAGUBELL_230_BR_2_1 6.89
NOB_ITC 4.95
30056_GATES2 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_2 _1 4.36
MIGUEL_BKs_MXFLW_NG 2.31
34116_LE GRAND_115_34115_ADRA TAP_115_BR_1 _1 2.28
7820_TL 230S_OVERLOAD_NG 2.06

Table 9 shows the monthly CRR statistics. The Net Monthly Balancing Surplus calculates as CRR Surplus plus CRR Daily Balancing Account minus total auction revenue. The total auction revenue is the sum of Monthly Auction Revenue and Annual Auction Revenue. The Allocation to Measured demand is calculated as sum of total auction revenue and Net Monthly Balancing Surplus.

Net Monthly Balancing Surplus in February was -$5.51 million. The auction revenues credited to the balancing account for February were $8.11 million. As a result, the balancing account had a surplus of approximately $2.60 million in February compared to $5.76 million in the previous month, which was allocated to measured demand.

Table 9: CRR Revenue Statistics
Description FEBRUARY -2025 JANUARY -2025
CRR Notional Value $86,500,146 $66,639,563
CRR Deficit -$26,089,483 -$22,848,517
CRR Settlement Rule -$87,286 -$67,651
CRR Adjusted Payment $60,323,377 $43,723,394
CRR Surplus $2,494,128 $1,831,238
Monthly Auction Revenue $1,091,604 $952,180
Annual Auction Revenue $7,014,767 $7,641,859
CRR Daily Balancing Account $106,395 $3,925,658
Net Monthly Balancing Surplus -$5,505,849 -$2,837,143
Allocation to Measured Demand $2,600,523 $5,756,896