The Railroad Commission of Texas has issued its first permit for a deep geo-pressured geothermal well to Sage Geosystems in Atascosa County. This well, located south of San Antonio in the Anaconcho Formation, is significant as it marks the first such permit since regulatory authority was transferred from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to the RRC.

The well will be used for electricity generation by the San Miguel Electric Cooperative, which has entered into a land use agreement with Sage Geosystems to develop a three-megawatt Geopressured Geothermal System energy storage facility.

"Texas has been at the forefront of energy regulation and innovation for more than a century, and this transition has streamlined the permitting process for geothermal wells and reinforced the Commission’s leadership in emerging energy technologies," said RRC Executive Director Wei Wang. "We remain dedicated to adapting our regulatory approach to facilitate the growth of new energy technologies while upholding the highest standards of environmental and public safety as we have done for more than a century."

The RRC's regulatory framework ensures that all geothermal projects meet strict environmental and safety standards while supporting an industry that shares skills and technology with oil and gas sectors.

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