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To advance next-generation geothermal electricity generation demonstration projects in new regions, and for other purposes.
Summary
- Establishes a Milestone-Based Geothermal Demonstration Program to provide innovative financing to geothermal projects in low-permeability and impermeable reservoirs
- Prioritizes geothermal projects in regions with limited or no existing geothermal electricity generation, including areas on or near Indian land
- Requires awards to be distributed among at least 3 different proposals in at least 3 different states and to at least 3 different project sponsors
- Focuses on geothermal projects with at least 30 megawatts capacity potential or those demonstrating innovative drilling or other technologies enabling commercial-scale generation
- Requires the Department of Energy to establish the program within 180 days of enactment and maintain sufficient staffing to administer the financing
- Directs projects to collect and disseminate data on new geothermal resources to support characterization and future private investment
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
7 cosponsors
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Nicholas J. Begich’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $310,813
- TEAMHEALTH EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS $44,901
- PETRO 49, INC $18,931
- ODOM CORP $12,500
- CHARLES SCHWAB CORPORATION $9,183
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Nicholas J. Begich → · Outside spending →
Actions (4)
- Jul 21, 2026 Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by Voice Vote. · house
- Jul 21, 2026 Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held · house
- Apr 22, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. · house
- Apr 22, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Committee action
What happened to this bill in committee — the meetings where it was considered and every recorded vote taken on it.
Meetings where this bill was on the agenda
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 22, 2026
Mr. Begich (for himself and Ms. Lee of Nevada) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology
A BILL
To advance next-generation geothermal electricity generation demonstration projects in new regions, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Geothermal Power Opportunity With Expanded Regions Act” or the “Geo POWER Act”.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to advance next-generation geothermal demonstration projects—
(1) to accelerate the commercialization of next-generation geothermal technologies in diverse geologies and regions across the United States;
(2) to overcome high upfront capital costs for geothermal exploration and drilling;
(3) to generate public data to de-risk future geothermal projects in new geologies and regions; and
(4) to catalyze geothermal demonstration projects and innovation through milestone-based financing to de-risk future geothermal projects.
SEC. 3. INNOVATIVE FINANCING FOR GEOTHERMAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.
Section 615 of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (42 U.S.C. 17194) is amended—
(1) in subsection (a), by inserting “the milestone-based geothermal demonstration program for projects in low permeability and impermeable reservoirs described in subsection
(e) and” after “including”;
(2) in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (3); and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
“(e) Milestone-Based Geothermal Demonstration Program.—
“(1) Definitions.—In this subsection:
“(A) Innovative financing.—The term ‘innovative financing’ means financial instruments used to support geothermal energy project development, including transactions that the Secretary may enter into under section 646 of the Department of Energy Organization Act (42 U.S.C. 7256).
“(B) Program.—The term ‘Program’ means the Milestone-Based Geothermal Demonstration Program established under paragraph (2).
“(2) Establishment.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, the Secretary shall establish a program, to be known as the ‘Milestone-Based Geothermal Demonstration Program’, to award innovative financing to geothermal projects in low-permeability and impermeable reservoirs through a competitive process based on the achievement of technical and financial milestones, prioritizing—
“(A) geothermal projects in regions and geologies that have limited or no geothermal electricity generation as of the date of enactment of this paragraph, including on or near Indian land (as defined in section 2601 of the Energy Policy Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3501));
“(B) geothermal projects that support the collection and dissemination of data to characterize new geothermal resources and technologies to catalyze future private investment;
“(C) new geothermal electricity production facilities with aggregate electricity generation capacity potential of not less than 30 megawatts or geothermal projects that advance innovative drilling or other innovations that enable the viability of commercial-scale geothermal electricity generation of not less than 30 megawatts; and
“(D) projects with the potential for attracting significant private sector investment.
“(3) Requirements.—
“(A) Proposals.—In carrying out the Program, the Secretary shall request proposals for projects from project sponsors that meet the criteria described in paragraph (2).
“(B) Differentiation.—The Secretary shall award innovative financing under paragraph (2)—
“(i) to not less than 3 different proposals in at least 3 different States; and
“(ii) to not less than 3 different project sponsors.
“(C) Staffing.—The Secretary shall maintain staffing levels sufficient to administer innovative financing under paragraph (2).
“(4) Authority.—The Secretary shall carry out a project under this subsection as a milestone-based demonstration project under section 9005 of the Energy Act of 2020 (42 U.S.C. 7256c).
“(f) Authorization of Appropriations.—There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary such sums as are necessary to carry out subsections (d) and (e).”. <all>
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