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S4406119th CongressWALLET

Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act

Sponsored By: Senator Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

In Committee

Summary

Would create a coordinated federal program to accelerate next‑generation geothermal systems, explicitly covering closed‑loop systems, enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), and supercritical resources and tying together research, testing, and data across agencies. It sets rules for milestone-based funding, public data sharing, and clearer resource mapping to move projects from lab to power production.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

2 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Better geothermal data, maps, and assessments

This bill would require DOE and Interior to set up a public subsurface drilling data repository with heat, seismic, lithology, stress, and transmission data. It would require deep exploration boreholes deeper than 8 kilometers in representative provinces and make resulting data public. The USGS would do geothermal resource assessments every four years and must finish updated conventional and next-generation assessments within 2 years and initial methods and an assessment for supercritical resources within 5 years. The bill would also require DOE to report to Congress within 1 year and every 2 years after that, and it would require a water‑use report within 5 years comparing water per megawatt‑hour and use of non‑potable water.

Boost next-generation geothermal research and testing

This bill would create a Next-Generation Geothermal R&D program inside DOE's Geothermal Technologies Office. It would fund milestone-based grants that follow five steps: stress characterization, lab work, drilling, flow testing, and power production. It would award competitive centers-of-excellence grants and support workforce development and Tribal engagement. It would require at least one FORGE site able to test supercritical conditions within 1 year and would authorize Congress to appropriate "such sums as are necessary" for fiscal years 2026–2031. The bill would also add statutory definitions for closed‑loop, next‑generation, and supercritical geothermal.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cortez Masto, Catherine [D-NV]

NV • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Murkowski, Lisa [R-AK]

    AK • R

    Sponsored 4/28/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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