Code Change Summary: New Articles 720 through 723, along with Articles 742 and 750, were added to Chapter 7 to establish a coordinated framework for limited-energy system wiring methods, materials, power sources, overvoltage protection, and grounding and bonding following the removal of Chapter 8’s independent status.

SME commentary: The 2026 NEC^® introduces a coordinated set of new articles in Chapter 7 to address limited-energy and communications installations in a way that aligns with the broader restructuring of the Code and the removal of Chapter 8’s historical independence. This change reflects a deliberate effort by the Correlating Committee to consolidate requirements that were previously fragmented across multiple articles, many of which were insulated from the general rules in Chapters 1 through 7.

Article 720, titled General Requirements for Limited-Energy System Wiring Methods and Materials, provides general rules for wiring methods and materials in limited energy system installations, similar to how Article 300 does for line voltage installations. Prior to this revision, general requirements for these systems were scattered and often repeated in various Chapter 7 articles, with Chapter 8 operating outside the normal Code hierarchy. With Chapter 8 no longer standing alone, a unified general requirements article became necessary to provide consistent direction for all limited-energy installations now subject to the same structural framework as other electrical systems.

Article 721, Power Sources for Limited-Energy Systems, was created to address power source requirements and associated protections specific to limited-energy and communications installations. By separating power source requirements from wiring method rules, the NEC^® now provides clearer guidance on how these systems are supplied, protected, and coordinated with the rest of the electrical installation. This separation mirrors the organizational approach used elsewhere in the Code and reduces overlap that previously existed between articles.

Previous Article 722 was replaced with a new and improved version that now covers Limited-Energy Cables for Power-Limited Circuits, Fault-Managed-Power Circuits, Optical Fiber Circuits, and Communications Circuits. This new version consolidates cable requirements that were previously distributed across multiple articles. The creation of a single cable-focused article supports consistent application of listing, installation, and performance requirements across all limited-energy cable types. This consolidation also eliminated the need for a standalone optical fiber cable article, resulting in the deletion of Article 770, with its requirements absorbed into the broader cable framework now housed in Articles 720 and 722.

Article 723, Raceways, Cable Routing Assemblies, and Cable Trays for Limited-Energy Systems, further refines the organization by relocating wiring method requirements that are not cable-specific. While Article 722 addresses the installation of limited-energy cables, Article 723 appropriately houses requirements for raceways, cable routing assemblies, and cable trays used with limited-energy systems. This distinction improves usability by separating cable construction and use from the wiring methods that support those cables.

Additional coordination is provided by new Article 742, Overvoltage Protection of Limited-Energy Systems, which establishes requirements for protecting limited-energy systems from overvoltage conditions, including provisions addressing primary and secondary protection methods.

Article 750, Grounding and Bonding of Limited-Energy Systems, introduces grounding and bonding requirements tailored specifically to limited-energy installations, providing a parallel framework to Article 250 without forcing direct cross-application of power system rules.

Together, Articles 720 through 723, along with Articles 742 and 750, establish a logical progression from general requirements, to power sources, to cables, wiring methods, overvoltage protection, and grounding and bonding. For installers and inspectors, this restructuring improves clarity, reduces duplication, and removes enforcement inconsistencies that existed between articles and under Chapter 8’s former isolation.