Arcata Community Center Adds Solar and Backup Generators as City Joins REpower+

The City of Arcata has completed an opt-up to REpower+, putting all ~60 municipal electric meters on 100% renewable electricity while planning on-site solar and lighting upgrades at the Arcata Community Center and adding physical backup capacity funded through CalOES. Redwood Coast Energy Authority and city files show the opt-up now covers City Hall, the Arcata Community Center, the library, parks and ball fields, and essential water infrastructure including pumps and booster stations.

Redwood Coast Energy Authority framed the move as both a climate and fiscal action, saying the upgrade "also came with bill savings" after RCEA helped optimize PG&E rates for each meter. Redwoodenergy thanked City staff and volunteers by name: "We’re proud to partner with Arcata, and we extend our thanks to the many people who made this possible, especially Emily Benvie (Environmental Services Deputy Director), Morguine Sefcik (Environmental Programs Manager), and the Arcata Energy Committee."

City and RCEA materials state Arcata is planning solar panel installations and high-efficiency lighting at the Arcata Community Center as part of ongoing sustainability work tied to the city's adopted Climate Action Plan goal of decarbonizing municipal buildings and infrastructure. The Times-Standard summarized the project as a "positive local development," saying "A new solar project at Arcata Community Center enhances energy resiliency against outages and climate impacts."

Separate CPR Allocation to Cities documentation from CalOES records purchases intended to harden local emergency response: two stationary generators, two portable generators, and a fuel storage tank system. CalOES describes the stationary units as providing power to the Arcata Community Center and the D Street Neighborhood Center, noting both centers "serve as community shelters during emergency events" and that the generators will allow the centers to "provide food, water, and power to charge medical devices and refrigerate medication." The portable generators are described as preserving water and wastewater pump and lift station operation to "reduce health risks associated with sewer overflows." CalOES also states the "fuel storage tank system will improve the City's independent operation capacity from one day to approximately five days."

The CalOES documents include multiple funding lines that appear inconsistent. One activity row lists "On-time Amount of State Funding Provided to Activity: $ 38,000," "Total Budgeted Cost for Activity: $ 39,000," and "Amount Expended to Date: $ 24,332.35." Elsewhere the same CPR Allocation entry lists "FISCAL YEAR FUND SOURCE TOTAL FUNDING 2020-21 State General Fund $ 281,500" and "Amount Expended to Date: $ 0." The CalOES table also contains the field "Activity Used During a Power Outage Event: No," which conflicts with the equipment's stated emergency purpose. City finance or CalOES documentation should be consulted to reconcile the line items and the "Activity Used" field.

RCEA Executive Director Beth Burks framed Arcata's actions within countywide strategy: "Arcata’s leadership is helping set the tone for climate resilience and sustainability in Humboldt County." Public materials do not specify installation dates, solar system capacity, contractor names, or the exact dollar value of projected bill savings for the community center upgrades; those technical and fiscal details were not included in the releases reviewed here. Arcata's combined approach—grid-supplied 100% renewable electricity, planned on-site solar and lighting, and added generator and fuel storage capacity—advances the city's Climate Action Plan while increasing sheltering and water-system resiliency.