NFPA 70 National Electrical Code 2026 first draft changes

[Sean Donelan <sean () donelan com>]

The Code Making Panels for the NFPA 70 National Electrical Code meet for 
the last couple of weeks (Jan 15-26, 2024).

One proposed change for 2026 is "Keeping the NEC Relevant - Is Now the 
Time to Modernize?"

https://peg.atis.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/NEC-Correlating-Committee-White-Paper-4-6-2023.pdf

It mostly just renumbers/reorganizes the NEC. Old time electricians will 
grumble because almost every code number changes.

However,the proposed change also takes data systems out of Chapter 7 - 
Special Conditions and seperate Chapter 8 - Communication Systems. 
Chapter 8 is currently a stand-alone section traditionally maintained by 
communication utilities.

In the U.S., for the last 40 years code enforcement officials mostly
ignored Chapter 8 and communication wiring installation practices.  POE is 
changing that. Power of Ethernet has morphed data networks into integrated 
power, lighting, emergency, life-safety and communication systems.

It will be interesting to see how code enforcement officials reacts to 
moving the stand-alone communication wiring installation practices into 
the general enforcement part of the NEC.