By SAMANTHA YOUNG (AP) – 3 days ago

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The most power-hungry television sets could soon be banned from store shelves in California as a way to lower electricity demand.

The California Energy Commission is scheduled to vote Wednesday on the first-in-the nation mandate.

If the rules are adopted, televisions sold in California must be more energy efficient beginning in 2011. The requirement would be tougher in 2013, with only one-quarter of the TVs on the market today meeting that standard.

The standards would apply to all TVs up to 58 inches.

The energy commission says TVs account for about 10 percent of a home's electricity use. The concern is that will rise as consumers buy larger TVs and put more in their homes.

Some manufacturers say a power standard would cripple innovation and limit consumer choice.

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