Dar es Salaam. Tanzania is tightening energy-efficiency requirements for electrical appliances in a move aimed at reducing electricity waste, lowering household bills and preventing inefficient products from entering the domestic market.
The measures introduce mandatory Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) and energy-efficiency labelling for eight categories of appliances commonly used in homes and businesses, requiring manufacturers and importers to ensure their products meet prescribed requirements.
Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) Acting Director of Standards Development Nickon Mwambene said the measures would help consumers make informed purchasing decisions while encouraging manufacturers and importers to supply more energy-efficient products.
‘Even when two electrical appliances perform similar functions, they may consume different amounts of electricity,’ he said, underscoring the importance of choosing products that use less power to deliver the same service.
The standards cover television sets, electric motors, domestic fans, air conditioners, refrigerators, electric pressure cookers, electric rice cookers and induction cookers. Under the framework, manufacturers and importers are expected to ensure their products comply with the applicable standards, while distributors and retailers must understand the requirements and provide customers with accurate product information.
Energy-efficiency labels will enable consumers to compare appliances before making purchases. Under star-rating systems, a higher number of stars generally indicates better energy efficiency, although the specific rating criteria vary by product category.
Mr Mwambene said the measures formed part of broader efforts to promote efficient electricity consumption as demand continued to grow among households, businesses and industries.
He said electricity was essential for domestic activities and economic production, making efficient use increasingly important as the country expanded its energy consumption.
TBS standards officer and engineer Spiradson Kagoda said the requirements would also help protect Tanzania from becoming a destination for appliances that failed to meet energy-efficiency standards in other markets.
He explained that countries enforcing such standards could reject non-compliant products, creating the risk that they would be redirected to markets with weaker controls.
‘If Tanzania does not effectively implement its standards, the country risks becoming a destination for appliances that fail to meet energy-efficiency requirements in other markets,’ he said.
Mr Kagoda said inefficient appliances could increase consumers’ costs through excessive electricity consumption, frequent breakdowns and expensive repairs.
He cited refrigerators as an example, explaining that deteriorating insulation or inefficient components could force an appliance to work harder to maintain the required temperature, resulting in higher electricity consumption and household bills.
Appliances that fail prematurely could also generate additional waste, increasing the economic and environmental costs associated with their disposal.
The standards are therefore intended not only to improve energy efficiency but also to encourage the supply of appliances that offer consumers better value throughout their useful life.
Businesses given time to prepare
Mr Kagoda said implementation would depend on the publication of the relevant government notices and the expiry of the applicable 60-day period before enforcement.
The period is intended to give manufacturers, importers, distributors and other stakeholders time to prepare for the new requirements.
Addressing concerns about appliances ordered before publication of the notices, he said the intention was not to apply the requirements retrospectively to transactions completed before the rules took effect.
He cited consignments that had already been shipped before publication, noting that importers could face practical difficulties if required to comply with new requirements while goods were already in transit.
However, businesses will need to familiarise themselves with the applicable standards and ensure that products entering the market comply once the requirements become enforceable.