Jeddah -- Saudi Arabian Standards and Specifications Organization (SASO) announced on Wednesday that as of 40 days from today only energy-efficient home appliances will be allowed into Saudi Arabia. The measure is meant to support the national economy by rationalizing power consumption and relieving the consumer from paying high electricity bills.

An official of SASO said about 70 percent of the electricity wasted in the Kingdom was caused by defective air-conditioning equipment.  Air-conditioning units consume about 60 percent of the electricity used in most households.

The new appliances will have tags indicating the rate of their energy efficiency. Electrical appliances that do not have these tags will not be allowed through the customs offices.