Code Change Summary: Changes to the grounding electrode system requirements in 690.47 restore the reference to Part III of Article 250 and delete Section 690.47(B).

SME commentary: In the 2026 NEC^®, Section 690.47(A) was revised to make the grounding electrode requirements for PV systems consistent with the structure and intent of Article 250. The previous code cycle introduced language in 690.47(A) directing code readers to 690.47(B) for grounding electrode requirements. That change created confusion because 690.47(B) restated grounding electrode concepts already addressed in Article 250, yet its wording lacked the detail contained in Part III. By rewording the opening sentence of 690.47(A) to clearly point the user to Part III of Article 250, the Code Making Panel determined that the entire subsection 690.47(B) could be removed without affecting any enforceable requirement.

The 2026 revision in 690.47(A) states that “Buildings or structures supporting PV systems shall use a grounding electrode system installed in accordance with Article 250 Part III”.

Public Input for the 2026 cycle emphasized that Section 250.50 and the related provisions in Part III already apply to all premises wiring systems. Because PV systems are part of premises wiring, the Article 250 rules inherently apply unless specifically modified, and Section 90.3 establishes this arrangement. The CMP agreed and removed 690.47(B) eliminating any impression that PV systems required an alternate set of grounding electrode rules. Deleting the subsection removes redundancy and avoids subtle conflicts between Articles 690 and 250.

The deletion of 690.47(B) returns 690.47(A) to the clearer format used in the 2020 NEC^®, where the section simply directed the code reader to Part III of Article 250, which contains grounding electrode system provisions that apply broadly to buildings and structures and therefore include those that support PV systems. Because the Part III requirements already govern grounding electrode conductor sizing, permitted electrode types, and installation details, duplicating or paraphrasing those rules in 690.47(B) was unnecessary and inconsistent with the NEC^® Style Manual.

The revised text also reinforces a broader editorial goal for the 2026 NEC^®. The Code has increasingly avoided repeating requirements across technical articles. This reduces the risk that a future change in one article creates unintentional discrepancies in another. By removing 690.47(B), the grounding electrode system rules for PV systems now rely entirely on Article 250 for consistency, accuracy, and long term maintainability.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2026 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.

2023 Code Language:

690.47(A) Buildings or Structures Supporting a PV System. A building or structure(s) supporting a PV system shall utilize a grounding electrode system installed in accordance with 690.47(B).

PV array equipment grounding conductors shall be connected to a grounding electrode system in accordance with Part VII of Article 250. This connection shall be in addition to any other equipment grounding conductor requirements in 690.43(C). The PV array equipment grounding conductors shall be sized in accordance with 690.45…

690.47(B) Grounding Electrodes and Grounding Electrode Conductors. Additional grounding electrodes shall be permitted to be installed in accordance with 250.52 and 250.54. Grounding electrodes shall be permitted to be connected directly to the PV module frame(s) or support structure. A grounding electrode conductor shall be sized according to 250.66. A support structure for a ground-mounted PV array shall be permitted to be considered a grounding electrode if it meets the requirements of 250.52…

2026 Code Language:

690.47(A) Buildings or Structures Supporting PV Systems. Buildings or structures supporting PV systems shall use a grounding electrode system installed in accordance with Article 250 Part III.

PV array equipment grounding conductors shall be connected to a grounding electrode system in accordance with Article 250 Part VII, in addition to any other equipment grounding conductor requirements in 690.43(C). The minimum size of grounding electrode conductors shall be sized in accordance with 250.66. PV array equipment grounding conductors shall be sized in accordance with 690.45…

690.47(B) DELETED