Breadcrumb
Electricity Affordability & Rates
Description
Brown Bag Lunch Online Presentation with Richard Engel, Director, & Marisha Ramirez-Escareño, Account Services Manager, Redwood Coast Energy Authority:
California electricity bills are the second highest in the nation, behind Hawaii. In 2015, California electricity rates were about one-third higher than the national average. By 2024, electricity rates were over 80% higher.
How is Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA) — Humboldt County’s local electricity provider — addressing energy affordability? Learn how RCEA provides clean energy, reliability, stable rates, and innovative programs. You'll also learn what is included in rates, what drives electricity costs, and how to read and understand your bill.
Established in 2003, the Redwood Coast Energy Authority is a local government joint powers agency whose members include the Blue Lake Rancheria, Yurok Tribe, the County of Humboldt, the seven cities within the county, and the Humboldt Bay Municipal Water District. RCEA’s purpose is to develop and implement sustainable energy initiatives that reduce energy demand, increase energy efficiency, and advance the use of clean, efficient, and renewable resources available in the region. Learn more: redwoodenergy.org.
Richard Engel has worked for nine years at Redwood Coast Energy Authority where he is the director of Power Resources, overseeing administration of the community choice energy program, power procurement, and customer account management. Previously, he worked for the Schatz Energy Research Center, where he developed hydrogen fuel cells and other advanced energy technologies as well as developing clean energy programs at several northern California local governments. He earned his B.S. in environmental resources engineering at Humboldt State University, and he has worked for local government energy programs in San Francisco, Palo Alto, and Sonoma County.
Marisha Ramirez-Escareño serves as the Account Services Manager at the Redwood Coast Energy Authority (RCEA), where she oversees customer service operations related to billing inquiries for the agency’s Community Choice Energy program. A Humboldt County native, Marisha brings over 15 years of customer service experience within the local community, reflecting her deep commitment to serving residents with care and integrity. Marisha joined RCEA more than a year ago and has since played a key role in enhancing and streamlining account services. Marisha earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a concentration in Financial Accounting from Humboldt State University, equipping her with a strong foundation in both financial systems and public service.
The presentation will begin promptly at noon.
Presentations are held on the Zoom conferencing platform. Join this live presentation by clicking the button below. If you can't join us live, a video of this presentation will be available on the OLLI Youtube channel.
