Puerto Rico Geothermal Assessment Act

Summary#

The Puerto Rico Energy Opportunity and Geothermal Assessment Act of 2026 would amend the Energy Policy Act of 1992. Its stated goal is to assess Puerto Rico’s geothermal resources; it is an introduced bill, not law, and passage is uncertain.

  • The Interior Secretary, through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Director, must assess geothermal resources in Puerto Rico, including enhanced geothermal systems.
  • The Secretary must consult the Energy Secretary and coordinate with relevant Puerto Rico officials and higher-education institutions.
  • The assessments must include high-resolution maps and geospatial data, groundwater vulnerability (with particular attention to karst terrain and other highly transmissive aquifers), and seismic hazards and risks of human-caused earthquakes.
  • The Secretary must report to House and Senate committees within one year of enactment and every two years after that until the assessments are complete. Reports must cover progress, coordination, preliminary results if available, obstacles, and planned next steps.
  • The bill removes Puerto Rico from a provision in the existing assessment law and adds a separate Puerto Rico section. The parent law was not supplied, so the exact change from current requirements cannot be verified.

What it means for you#

  • Puerto Rico residents: The bill requires assessments, not geothermal projects or new energy service. It does not itself authorize development, change property rights, or set rules for permits.
  • Puerto Rico officials and higher-education institutions: The USGS Director must coordinate with relevant officials and institutions. The bill does not require them to take a particular action.
  • Federal agencies: Interior and USGS would have the assessment and reporting duties. The Energy Secretary must be consulted.
  • Taxpayers and the public: The bill requires reports to congressional committees, but does not specify public access to data or reports.

Money#

The bill requires federal assessment and reporting work, but no cost estimate is available.

  • It does not provide a specific appropriation, staffing level, or funding source.
  • It does not set fees, fines, or payments to Puerto Rico or higher-education institutions.

What is unclear#

  • The bill sets no deadline for completing the assessments.
  • It does not specify assessment methods or how the Secretary should decide when the work is complete.
  • “Enhanced geothermal systems” and other key terms are not defined in the supplied bill text; the parent law was not supplied to check for definitions.
  • The bill does not explain what coordination with Puerto Rico officials and higher-education institutions must involve, or whether residents or other groups would be consulted.
  • The assessment must follow mapping requirements elsewhere in the law, but those requirements could not be checked against the materials provided.

Case for#

  • A possible argument for the bill is that dedicated assessments could provide Puerto Rico-specific information about geothermal resources.
  • Requiring groundwater and seismic-risk assessments could help identify hazards relevant to exploration and development.
  • Regular reports could give Congress updates on progress, obstacles, and next steps.

Case against#

  • The bill requires federal work but provides no cost estimate, staffing plan, or completion deadline.
  • It requires assessments but does not say how results would guide later decisions about geothermal development.
  • The bill leaves the coordination process unclear, including what role Puerto Rico officials and higher-education institutions would have beyond coordination.