Section 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 5.1 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 5.1: Daily CRR Notional Value by Transmission Element

Daily CRR Notional Value by Transmission Element

Figure 5.2 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 5.1 shows the percentage of monthly CRR deficit by transmission element and Table 5.2 shows the percentage of monthly CRR surplus by transmission element.

Figure 5.2: Daily CRR Offset Value by Transmission Element

Daily CRR Offset Value by Transmission Element
Table 5.1: CRR Deficit by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
Other 25.12
30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 18.85
OMS_20296018 CNTRL-INYOK_EXP_NG 15.17
30005_ROUND MT_500_30015_TABLE MT_500_BR_1 _6 8.45
MALIN500_ISL 7.89
24801_DEVERS _500_24804_DEVERS _230_XF_1 _P 6.83
Lugo AA bank outage Area EXP 6.28
35618_SN JSE A_115_35616_SNJOSEB _115_BR_1 _1 3.29
IPPDCADLN_ITC 2.77
NOB_ITC 2.73
OMS20108458-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG 2.61
Table 5.2: CRR Surplus by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
Other 30.25
7690-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG 21.56
OMS_19695948_DEV_RDB_ALIS 14.82
24701_KRAMER _230_24601_VICTOR _230_BR_2 _1 8.14
30056_GATES2 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_2 _1 4.92
22208_EL CAJON_69.0_22408_LOSCOCHS_69.0_BR_1 _1 4.56
7690-COOLWATER_KRAMER_IM_NG 3.82
7430_CP6_NG 3.50
31336_HPLND JT_60.0_31370_CLVRDLJT_60.0_BR_1 _1 3.20
30790_PANOCHE _230_30900_GATES _230_BR_1 _1 2.65
34548_KETTLEMN_70.0_34552_GATES _70.0_BR_1 _1 2.57

The main reasons for CRR offset shortfall were

  • The line 30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 was binding on 30 days of this month, resulting in offset shortfall of $2.264 million.
  • The line OMS_20296018 CNTRL-INYOK_EXP_NG was binding on 1 day of this month, resulting in offset shortfall of $1.823 million.

The main reasons for CRR offset surplus were

  • The line 7690-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG was binding on 27 days of this month, resulting in offset surplus of $1.812 million.
  • The line OMS_19695948_DEV_RDB_ALIS was binding on 28 days of this month, resulting in offset surplus of $1.246 million.

Table 5.3 shows the percentage of monthly CRR payment by transmission element.

Table 5.3: CRR Payment by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
Other 30.68
7690-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG 15.86
OMS_19695948_DEV_RDB_ALIS 14.60
30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 12.90
OMS20246514-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG 5.86
24801_DEVERS _500_24804_DEVERS _230_XF_1 _P 4.20
31336_HPLND JT_60.0_31370_CLVRDLJT_60.0_BR_1 _1 4.19
22208_EL CAJON_69.0_22408_LOSCOCHS_69.0_BR_1 _1 3.74
30005_ROUND MT_500_30015_TABLE MT_500_BR_1 _6 3.08
24701_KRAMER _230_24601_VICTOR _230_BR_2 _1 3.00
Lugo AA bank outage Area EXP 1.89

Table 5.4 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.

The Congestion Revenue Rights (CRR) net monthly balancing surplus in June was $14,359,139. The auction revenues credited to the balancing account for June were $5,313,688. As a result, the balancing account had a surplus of approximately $19.673 million compared to $18.904 million in the previous month, which was allocated to measured demand.

Table 5.4: CRR Revenue Statistics
Description May 2026 June 2026
CRR Notional Value $49,259,618 $47,525,312
CRR Deficit -$11,609,394 -$12,013,499
CRR Settlement Rule -$2,104 -$3,645
CRR Adjusted Payment $37,648,120 $35,508,168
CRR Surplus $10,082,649 $8,405,323
Monthly Auction Revenue $1,688,084 $1,653,716
Annual Auction Revenue $3,633,746 $3,659,972
CRR Daily Balancing Account $8,821,106 $11,267,504
Net Monthly Balancing Surplus $13,581,925 $14,359,139
Allocation to Measured Demand $18,903,755 $19,672,826