Orinda Theatre scales back due to soaring PG&E bills

ORINDA, Calif. - The Orinda Theatre will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays because the owners say their soaring Pacific Gas & Electric bills make it too expensive to open the cinema on those days. 

The theater's recent utility bill was more than $6,000 for the month or about $220 per day, the owners said. That may not seem like a huge amount for a business, but it equates to the proceeds of 47 movie tickets, the owner tells KTVU. That means the theater has to get at least 47 visitors just to cover the cost of the PG&E bill, let alone other business costs like employee pay. 

The theater will now be closed two days each week because ticket sales are lighter at the start of the week. As word of the planned closures spreads, community members continue to band around the business. 

Orinda Theatre owner Derek Zemrak says a woman came into the theater last night to buy some candy, but after speaking with him about the closures, she also decided to donate $50. 

PG&E's customers have been dealing with rising bills as state regulators have approved rate hikes for the utility company. PG&E has said it needs to charge more to raise money for safety improvements, such as burying electrical lines, in an effort to reduce the risk of fires. 

In February, PG&E told investors that profits had risen by 24% last year compared to the year before and credited the rate hikes with boosting the company's bottom line.

Other small business owners who operate inside of Orinda Theatre Square tell me their bills have gone up too. 

Dave Clark moved his business, Silver Fox Barber Shop, from Oakland to Orinda last year because he and his clients were facing such high crime risks. He opened his Orinda location in December, and his power bill has gone from $250 to almost $500 in that time. 

Clark says he planned his business to be as low-energy as possible, including LED lighting and putting everything on timers to avoid wasting power at night... but it hasn't made any dent in his bill. 

"At the end of the day, we have to have power to run a business. So whatever we have to pay is what we're gonna have to pay. It just doesn't make it any easier because it cuts into the bottom line," Clark told KTVU. 

PG&E shared the following statement with KTVU about Orinda Theatre: 

"PG&E is dedicated to supporting small and medium businesses, like the Orinda Theater. A representative from our Small Business Engagement team will be reaching out to the Orinda Theatre to go over their bill, and review rates, energy efficiency options and other programs that may help. These small steps can make a big difference for a small or medium sized business, and our goal is for the Orinda Theater to thrive. We are here to help, and encourage any small or medium business owner who is having trouble paying their bills to reach out to PG&E directly so we can discuss options." - PG&E

If you want to help the Orinda Theatre, there is a gofundme set up to donate now.