The only place in the Continental US that can argue for high rates with the WORST California rates are in the New England states.
California does see a lot of variation on rates - the large urban areas like San Diego and LA are high but not insanely so, while the rural areas like the mountainous heavy wooded far Northern part of the state tend to be VERY high rates.

It says a lot that a lot of the hydro power produced in Central Washington is sold all the way to California - and that's it's STILL cheaper despite transmission costs than they can manage locally in most of the state.