Pacific POWER Act would expand U.S. geothermal diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific

What This Bill Does

The Pacific POWER Act would direct the Secretary of State, working with the Secretary of Energy, to build a U.S. diplomatic push for geothermal energy in the Indo-Pacific and beyond. It requires a geothermal resource assessment within 180 days, then the creation of an International Geothermal Program within one year to support international collaboration, partnerships, and project development. The bill focuses on allies and partners such as Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. It does not set a direct spending amount in the text provided, but it does establish new planning, reporting, and coordination duties for several federal agencies.

• Requires a geothermal resource assessment within 180 days of enactment.
• Creates an International Geothermal Program within one year.
• Directs State and Energy to pursue geothermal cooperation bilaterally and multilaterally.
• Prioritizes Indo-Pacific partners including Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Australia, and India.
• Calls for standards on community consent, seismic monitoring, water impacts, and data sharing.

Who This Bill Affects

For a general American audience, the bill would not change your day-to-day life directly, but it could affect federal energy and foreign policy priorities. It would steer the State Department and several other agencies toward helping allies such as Taiwan, the Philippines, Japan, Australia, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea develop geothermal energy, which could create more business opportunities for U.S. geothermal firms and support broader energy-security goals. Any household benefit would be indirect and long-term, through stronger partnerships and potentially more stable global energy markets.

Who Supports & Opposes This

Key Implications

• ““Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment... develop and submit... a report””

  This creates a fast deadline for the State Department, working with other agencies, to map global geothermal potential and rank where U.S. involvement would matter most. That report would likely shape which countries and projects receive follow-on diplomatic attention.

• ““Establish the International Geothermal Program... for international collaboration””

  This is the bill’s central institutional change. It would formalize geothermal as a standing area of U.S. international engagement rather than an ad hoc topic handled country by country.

• ““Prioritize engaging with allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific””

  The bill narrows the initial focus to a specific region and a named list of partners. In practice, that means U.S. diplomatic energy would be directed toward countries like Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

• ““free, prior, and informed consent of Indigenous Peoples””

  This language signals that community participation is supposed to be part of geothermal project design, not an afterthought. It may slow some projects but also reduce conflict and improve legitimacy where land and resource use are sensitive.

• ““risk-sharing and financial tools for geothermal exploration and development””

  Geothermal exploration is expensive and risky, so the bill encourages government support for financing structures that make projects more bankable. That could help unlock projects that private lenders would otherwise avoid.

Latest Status

June 17, 2026

Committee on Foreign Relations. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

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