Electronic circuits and methods are provided for power conservation applications. A latching relay includes a controlled switch electrically coupled within a power supply of a computer or other load. Circuitry of the present teachings controls operation of the latching relay. Set and reset conditions of the latching relay establish normal and deep standby operating modes for the computer, respectively. Manual switching or automated signaling are used to assert the set and reset relay conditions. Very low power consumption is achieved during the deep standby mode of operation.