Geo POWER Act

What it does

• •Establishes a Milestone-Based Geothermal Demonstration Program within the Department of Energy to provide innovative financing to geothermal projects in low-permeability and impermeable reservoirs through competitive awards based on technical and financial milestones.
• •Prioritizes funding for geothermal projects in regions and geologies with limited or no existing geothermal electricity generation, including projects on or near Indian land, and projects generating at least 30 megawatts of capacity.
• •Requires the Secretary of Energy to award financing to at least 3 different project proposals in at least 3 different States with at least 3 different project sponsors.
• •Authorizes $800 million in appropriations, with up to $750 million for milestone-based demonstration projects (minimum 3 projects) and up to $50 million for program administration.

Why it matters

• •Aims to reduce upfront capital costs and exploration risks that have limited geothermal development to traditional high-permeability regions, enabling expansion into new geographies.
• •Requires projects to generate public data on new geothermal resources and technologies to support future private investment and commercialization of next-generation geothermal technology.
• •Supports economic development in underrepresented regions, including Indian lands, while advancing domestic clean energy production capacity.

Who is affected

• •Project sponsors and private companies developing geothermal electricity generation projects in low-permeability reservoirs and new geographic regions.
• •The Department of Energy, which must establish the program, review proposals, and maintain staffing to administer the financing mechanism.
• •Indian tribes and communities on or near Indian land eligible for geothermal project prioritization.

What happens next

The bill was reported by the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on November 12, 2026, and awaits further Senate consideration.