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
IPPDCADLN_ITC 31.58
IPPUTAH_ITC 29.00
30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 12.60
OMS 19837645 CNTRL-INYOK_EXP_NG 9.97
Other 4.65
OMS_20219806_SDGE_RT_Import_NG 2.95
SDGE_RT_Import_NG 2.63
NOB_ITC 2.17
35612_TRIMBLE _115_35610_MONTAGUE_115_BR_1 _1 1.95
MALIN500_ISL 1.75
Lugo AA bank outage Area EXP 0.77
Table 5.2: CRR Surplus by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
Other 32.18
30797_LASAGUIL_230_30790_PANOCHE _230_BR_1 _1 18.33
30735_METCALF _230_30042_METCALF _500_XF_13 13.67
7690-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG 8.74
30060_MIDWAY _500_29402_WIRLWIND_500_BR_1 _2 4.89
30040_TESLA _500_30050_LOSBANOS_500_BR_1 _1 4.30
24701_KRAMER _230_24601_VICTOR _230_BR_2 _1 4.29
30055_GATES1 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_1 _1 3.64
30056_GATES2 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_2 _1 3.61
24701_KRAMER _230_24601_VICTOR _230_BR_1 _1 3.37
31336_HPLND JT_60.0_31370_CLVRDLJT_60.0_BR_1 _1 2.97

The main reasons for CRR offset shortfall were

  • The line IPPDCADLN_ITC was binding on 21 days of this month, resulting in offset shortfall of $4.806 million.
  • The line IPPUTAH_ITC was binding on 23 days of this month, resulting in offset shortfall of $4.060 million.

The main reasons for CRR offset surplus were

  • *The line 30797_LASAGUIL_230_30790_PANOCHE _230_BR_1 _1 was binding on 14 days of this month, resulting in offset surplus of $2.676 million.*

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

Table 5.3: CRR Payment by Transmission Element
Constraint Percent
30750_MOSSLD _230_30797_LASAGUIL_230_BR_1 _1 26.14
30735_METCALF _230_30042_METCALF _500_XF_13 25.57
7690-CONTRL-INYOKN_EXP_NG 11.15
31336_HPLND JT_60.0_31370_CLVRDLJT_60.0_BR_1 _1 9.82
30797_LASAGUIL_230_30790_PANOCHE _230_BR_1 _1 6.46
30056_GATES2 _500_30060_MIDWAY _500_BR_2 _1 5.16
OMS_19695948_DEV_RDB_ALIS 4.90
OMS_20219806_SDGE_RT_Import_NG 4.45
SDGE_RT_Import_NG 3.67
30765_LOSBANOS_230_30790_PANOCHE _230_BR_2 _1 2.77
Other 0.09

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.

Net Monthly Balancing Surplus in May was $30,299,479. The auction revenues credited to the balancing account for May were $5,321,830. As a result, the balancing account had a surplus of approximately $35.621 million compared to $12.740 million in the previous month, which was allocated to measured demand.

Table 5.4: CRR Revenue Statistics
Description APRIL -2026 MAY -2026
CRR Notional Value $56,823,006 $38,470,125
CRR Deficit -$17,280,858 -$15,346,736
CRR Settlement Rule -$2,977 -$2,087
CRR Adjusted Payment $39,539,171 $23,121,302
CRR Surplus $6,929,270 $14,597,842
Monthly Auction Revenue $1,585,946 $1,688,084
Annual Auction Revenue $3,659,972 $3,633,746
CRR Daily Balancing Account $5,810,772 $20,855,768
Net Monthly Balancing Surplus $7,494,124 $30,131,780
Allocation to Measured Demand $12,740,042 $35,453,610