700.12 Emergency power sources
What changed in 700.12
A dc microgrid can now serve as an emergency source in some cases, source equipment in certain occupancies needs sprinklers or a 2-hour room, and unit equipment rules were trimmed and moved to 700.12(I).
Point by point
- New 700.12(H) lets a dc microgrid act as an emergency source when it can be cut off from every non-emergency source.
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Get the whole breakdown
- 4 more points on exactly what changed
- The 2017 rule next to the 2020 rule, side by side
- Why it changed
- What to do and check on the job
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This section across NEC® editions
2020 NEC®RevisedYou're here
A dc microgrid can now serve as an emergency source in some cases, source equipment in certain occupancies needs sprinklers or a 2-hour room, and unit equipment rules were trimmed and moved to 700.12(I).
2023 NEC®Revised
Microgrid rules for emergency sources now cover all microgrid types, not just dc, and a stored-energy emergency source can stay connected to and be charged by other power sources.
Open the 2023 page →2026 NEC®Revised
Where a microgrid supplies emergency power, the interconnection equipment now needs an emergency-use listing. Language that couldn't be enforced was also removed.
Open the 2026 page →More 2020 changes in Article 700
This is a plain-English summary, not the NEC®'s exact wording. Always check the full section in the NEC® edition your area has adopted, plus any local amendments.
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