Raleigh, N.C. — North Carolina consumers received about $7 million in rebates by purchasing energy-efficient appliances over the weekend, officials said Monday.

The Energy Star Appliance Replacement and Rebate Program was designed to encourage people to get rid of older appliances and replace them with energy-efficient models. The state had about $8 million in federal economic stimulus funds to hand out as instant 15 percent rebates to consumers who bought a qualified washer, dishwasher, freezer or refrigerator.

Consumers bought more than 54,400 qualifying appliances, worth an estimated $46.4 million, in the rebate program, said Seth Effron, spokesman for the State Energy Office.

Fran Preston, president of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association, called the four-day rebate program "a great success for consumers, appliance manufacturers and retailers and the environment."

State officials began Monday reviewing each appliance sale to determine if the state has enough stimulus money left to hold a second phase of the rebate program, Effron said.