This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources for review. It is considered active, but there are no upcoming votes or hearings scheduled at this time. The bill is waiting for committee members to decide if it should move forward for further consideration.
Legislative Progress
Senate
House
President
Law
Could go either way
The bill has strong bipartisan support from key senators in the energy space, but many energy bills struggle to pass both chambers unless attached to a larger package.
Key Points
The bill creates a new research program at the Department of Energy focused on next-generation geothermal systems. These systems use advanced methods to pull heat from deep underground, even in areas that do not have natural hot springs.
It provides $5 million every year through 2031 for special grants. These grants will help private companies and researchers improve drilling tools, create better sensors, and design more efficient power plants that can handle extreme heat.
The government will build a large public database of underground information. By sharing data from mining and oil projects, the bill aims to help energy companies find the best spots to drill for heat without having to start from scratch.
A new Center of Excellence will be established to train workers and help different groups work together. This center will connect national labs, universities, and private businesses to solve technical problems and grow the geothermal workforce.
The bill requires a study on how much water these new energy plants use. It specifically looks at whether they can use salty or non-potable water so they do not compete with farmers or towns for clean drinking water.
Impact Analysis
Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Apr 28, 2026Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Apr 28, 2026
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
No related news coverage found for this legislation yet.
Related Bills
No related bills have been identified yet.
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Next-Generation Geothermal Research and Development Act
Bill NumberS 4406
Congress119th Congress
ChamberSenate
Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
