Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Rate Selection Guide
Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) is a Community Choice Aggregator supplying electric generation to Humboldt County, California. As a CCA, RCEA sets generation rates roughly 0.5% below PG&E and procures clean power, while PG&E owns the meters, issues the single consolidated bill, and operates all data systems — so RCEA customer and third-party energy data flows through PG&E's Share My Data / Green Button platform rather than through RCEA.
Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Rate Schedule Comparison
| Schedule | Type | Rate | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 | Small Commercial | Gen-only Summer $0.09600 / Winter $0.05607 per kWh | Small businesses with low, non-demand loads |
| A-10 | Medium Commercial | Gen-only Summer $0.09374 / Winter $0.07209 per kWh | Medium businesses with moderate demand |
| E-19 / B-19 | Large Commercial/Industrial | Gen-only Summer Peak $0.04951–$0.10779/kWh + $12.63–$19.36/kW demand | Large facilities 500 kW–1 MW with TOU flexibility |
| E-20 / B-20 | Transmission/Primary | Gen-only Summer Peak $0.04134–$0.10390/kWh + $11.51–$18.16/kW demand | Largest industrial loads >1 MW |
| AG-1 / AG-4 | Agricultural | Gen-only Summer $0.06037–$0.06800/kWh + connected-load/demand | Farms, pumping, and agricultural operations |
| BEV-1 | Commercial EV Charging | Gen-only On-Peak $0.23016 / Off-Peak $0.04851 / Super Off-Peak $0.02325 per kWh | Commercial EV charging shifted off-peak |
Market Overview
Humboldt County is served under California's Community Choice Aggregation model. RCEA is the default generation supplier (REpower, higher renewable content than PG&E on average); customers may opt up to REpower+ (100% renewable, carbon-free, +$0.01/kWh) or opt out to PG&E bundled generation. PG&E provides transmission, distribution, metering, and billing for all customers regardless of generation choice.
Need to pull your actual usage data to compare rates? See the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Data Access Guide →
Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Options
Automatically enrolled standard product prioritizing local resources and sustainability; higher average renewable content than PG&E, priced ~0.5% below PG&E generation.
100% renewable, carbon-free premium product for an additional $0.01/kWh (about $5/month for an average household).
Customers may opt out of RCEA and return to PG&E bundled generation at PG&E's standard generation rates.
Current Rate Schedules
RCEA generation rates are set at roughly a 0.5% discount to PG&E generation rates and apply on top of PG&E delivery, PCIA, and franchise-fee surcharges. The figures below are verified RCEA generation-only rates from RCEA's published Commercial, Industrial & Agricultural Generation Rate sheet effective February 1, 2026 (PCIA 2016 vintage; PG&E rates as of January 1, 2026). REpower+ adds $0.01/kWh. 'RCEA Rate plus PG&E Fees' shown in source includes PCIA and franchise fee.
Effective: February 1, 2026 · Full Tariff Book →
| Schedule | Type | Applicability | Structure | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A-1 (Small Commercial) | commercial | Small commercial, non-demand. Mapped to PG&E Schedule A-1. | RCEA generation-only energy: Summer $0.09600/kWh, Winter $0.05607/kWh (A-1-A). With PG&E fees: Summer $0.13265, Winter $0.09272. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
| A-6 (Small Commercial TOU) | commercial | Small commercial time-of-use. Mapped to PG&E Schedule A-6. | RCEA generation-only energy: Summer On/Part-Peak $0.10735/kWh, Summer Off-Peak $0.08070/kWh, Winter Part-Peak $0.07290/kWh, Winter Off-Peak $0.07219/kWh. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
| A-10 (Medium Commercial, Demand) | commercial | Medium commercial with demand charges. Mapped to PG&E Schedule A-10. | RCEA generation-only energy (A-10-A): Summer $0.09374/kWh, Winter $0.07209/kWh. TOU and demand variants (A-10-A-P/T) published in the rate sheet. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
| E-19 / B-19 (Large Commercial TOU, Demand) | industrial | Large commercial/industrial, 500 kW–1 MW, TOU with demand. Mapped to PG&E E-19/B-19. | RCEA generation-only energy (E-19-S): Summer On/Part-Peak $0.04951/kWh, Summer Off-Peak $0.04404/kWh; Summer Demand $12.63/kW. B-19-S: Summer On-Peak $0.10779/kWh + $19.36/kW peak demand. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
| E-20 / B-20 (Transmission/Primary, Demand) | industrial | Largest C&I customers, >1 MW. Mapped to PG&E E-20/B-20. | RCEA generation-only energy (E-20-S): Summer On/Part-Peak $0.04134/kWh, Summer Off-Peak $0.03592/kWh; Summer Demand $11.51/kW. B-20-S: Summer On-Peak $0.10390/kWh + $18.16/kW peak demand. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
| AG (Agricultural) | agricultural | Agricultural and pumping accounts. Mapped to PG&E AG schedules. | RCEA generation-only energy (AG-1-A): Summer $0.06037/kWh + $3.11 connected-load, Winter $0.04692/kWh. AG-4-A: Summer $0.06800/kWh + $4.13/kW demand. Full AG-A/B/C and AG-V/R schedules in the rate sheet. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
| BEV (Commercial EV Charging) | ev | Commercial electric-vehicle charging. Mapped to PG&E BEV-1/BEV-2. | RCEA generation-only energy (BEV-1): All On-Peak $0.23016/kWh, Off-Peak $0.04851/kWh, Super Off-Peak $0.02325/kWh. BEV-2-S adds subscription demand structure. ~0.5% below PG&E. | — |
Rate Recommendations by Use Case
Small business / office
Small commercial accounts on A-1 take RCEA REpower generation about 0.5% below PG&E with no action required.
Low, non-demand loads see the generation discount automatically; A-6 helps only if load is shiftable off-peak.
- Download PG&E Green Button data to confirm A-1 vs A-6 fit
- Stay on REpower unless ESG goals justify REpower+
Medium facility with demand
Medium C&I accounts on A-10 should focus on demand-charge management; demand and TOU structure outweigh the small generation discount.
Demand charges and peak energy dominate the bill at this size; controlling peak kW yields far more than the 0.5% generation savings.
- Use interval data to find peak-demand drivers
- Stagger equipment starts to shave peaks
Large industrial (>500 kW)
Large E-19/B-19/E-20/B-20 accounts should optimize peak demand and on-peak energy; engage a consultant via PG&E Share My Data for ongoing interval analytics.
Demand charges of $11.51–$19.36/kW and high on-peak generation rates create the largest savings opportunities through load shaping.
- Authorize a consultant via PG&E Share My Data (sharemydata.pge.com)
- Target summer on-peak demand reduction with storage or controls
Agricultural / pumping operation
Farms and pumping operations should map irrigation load to AG off-peak windows and confirm the lowest-cost AG schedule.
Seasonal pumping load and connected-load/demand charges make AG schedule selection and timing the dominant savings lever.
- Shift pumping to off-peak/super-off-peak periods
- Use interval data to validate AG schedule choice
Commercial EV charging / ESG
EV-charging sites should use BEV schedules and shift to super-off-peak; ESG-driven orgs can opt up to REpower+ for 100% renewable supply.
BEV super-off-peak generation ($0.023/kWh) is roughly a tenth of on-peak; REpower+ adds 100% renewable supply for +$0.01/kWh.
- Schedule fleet/EV charging into super-off-peak windows
- Compare REpower+ premium against standalone REC costs
Historical Rate Trends
RCEA sets a fixed ~0.5% discount to PG&E generation rates and updates as PG&E rates change, at regular Board of Directors meetings. Rates effective February 1, 2026 apply the 2016 PCIA vintage; RCEA publishes an extensive archive of past commercial rate sheets back to 2017.
February 1, 2026
RCEA commercial/industrial/agricultural generation rates re-aligned to PG&E January 2026 generation rates, maintaining ~0.5% discount (PCIA 2016 vintage).
varies by scheduleJanuary 1, 2025
Prior published commercial rate update (January 2025 rate sheet) preceding the Feb 2026 schedule.
varies by scheduleOverall trend: RCEA generation rates move in step with PG&E generation rate changes while preserving the ~0.5% discount.
Next expected change: Tied to PG&E's next general rate change and RCEA Board approval; historical sheets are published on the Commercial Rates page.
Cost Optimization Strategies
For RCEA C&I accounts, the biggest savings come from managing PG&E demand charges and shifting load to off-peak TOU periods — both of which dwarf the ~0.5% generation discount. PG&E Green Button interval data is the key input for any optimization analysis.
Off-peak load shifting
For: Commercial, industrial & EV TOU accounts
Move discretionary load (HVAC pre-cooling, pumping, EV charging) out of summer on-peak windows under A-6/E-19/B-19/E-20/BEV schedules where on-peak generation is multiples of off-peak.
Demand-charge management
For: Demand-metered C&I accounts
Flatten peak kW with staggered starts, storage, or controls to reduce demand charges that range from ~$11.51/kW (E-20) to $19.36/kW+ (B-19) on large schedules.
Agricultural rate optimization
For: Agricultural accounts
Match pumping/irrigation load to AG schedule off-peak windows and connected-load charges; verify the correct AG schedule using interval data.
Verify correct schedule via interval data
For: All C&I and AG accounts
Use PG&E Green Button 15-minute data and the PG&E Rate Analysis Tool to confirm the account is on the lowest-cost eligible schedule.
To implement these strategies, you need your 15-minute interval data. Learn how to download Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) interval data →
Deregulated Market Shopping
Humboldt County is not a fully deregulated retail market. Customer 'choice' is limited to the CCA structure: RCEA REpower (default), REpower+ (opt-up), or PG&E bundled generation (opt-out). There is no competitive retail supplier marketplace.
How to Compare Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Suppliers
- 01Default: stay on RCEA REpower (auto-enrolled)
- 02Opt up to REpower+ for 100% renewable at +$0.01/kWh
- 03Opt out to PG&E bundled generation
Contract Terms for Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Supply Agreements
- No fixed-term contracts; month-to-month generation service
- Opt-out available at any time without penalty
Common Pitfalls When Shopping Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) Rates
- Opting out to PG&E forfeits the ~0.5% RCEA generation discount
- PCIA and franchise fees apply regardless of generation choice
- Delivery, metering, and billing always remain with PG&E
- RCEA partners with Collection Bureau of America (CBA) for certain billing-related communications
Frequently Asked Questions
As a C&I customer, how do I give our energy manager access to our RCEA/PG&E interval data?▾
Authorize them through PG&E's Share My Data program. The vendor registers with PG&E at sharemydata.pge.com, you approve the data scope (15-minute interval, billing, account info) via PG&E's OAuth flow, and they receive data automatically through the ESPI API. You can review or revoke authorizations anytime in your PG&E account.
Does taking RCEA instead of PG&E change our data access?▾
No. PG&E owns the meters and runs all data systems. Whether you take RCEA REpower, REpower+, or PG&E bundled service, your interval and billing data come from the same PG&E SmartMeter infrastructure via Green Button / Share My Data.
How much does a commercial account save on RCEA generation versus PG&E?▾
RCEA sets generation rates at roughly a 0.5% discount to PG&E across commercial, industrial, and agricultural schedules (verified Feb 1, 2026 rate sheet, PCIA 2016 vintage). The discount applies to the generation component only; delivery, PCIA, and franchise fees are identical to PG&E.
What rate schedule does my business take under RCEA?▾
RCEA mirrors your PG&E schedule — A-1/A-6 (small commercial), A-10 (medium with demand), B-1/B-6/B-10/B-19/B-20 and E-19/E-20 (large TOU with demand), plus agricultural AG schedules. To change schedules, contact PG&E; you keep RCEA generation at the lower rate.
Can large C&I customers use EDI for RCEA accounts?▾
EDI is available only through PG&E (not RCEA) and only for large commercial/industrial loads. Contact PG&E's EDI team at EDI@pge.com to complete a Trading Partner Agreement and enroll in transaction sets like 867 (usage) or 820 (remittance).
Is REpower+ worth it for our sustainability reporting?▾
REpower+ provides 100% renewable, carbon-free electricity for an extra $0.01/kWh. For organizations with Scope 2 or 100%-renewable commitments, that premium can support clean-energy claims and may be cheaper than buying standalone RECs.
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