(a) A utility seeking a certificate or an amendment to a certificate shall make an application to the commission which contains the information required by this chapter.

(b) No sooner than 30 days after an application is made for a certificate or an amendment, the commission shall conduct a public hearing on the application. Within 300 days after filing of the first such application and within 180 days after filing of each application thereafter, the commission shall issue an order adopting a forecast of future Georgia retail electricity requirements of the utility and describing in what manner the prospective certificate relates to the integrated resource plan and either granting the requested certificate or denying the requested certificate and authorizing a specific alternative means of supplying the requirements found by the commission to exist. Each certificate shall describe the capacity resource, its approximate construction or implementation schedule, and its approved cost. If the commission fails to so act within 300 days after the first such application has been made and within 180 days after each subsequent application has been made, the forecast application and certificate shall be deemed granted by operation of law.

(c) Within 60 days after the filing of an integrated resource plan or an application has been made with the commission for a certificate or amendment, the commission shall establish a fee therefor and notify the applicant thereof. The fee amount so established shall be in an amount reasonably necessary to defray the expense of the commission in reviewing the plan or determining whether to grant the application, including but not limited to the expense of conducting any certification proceedings required for such application. The fee so established shall not be recoverable from ratepayers of the applicant if the application or certification is denied nor shall the fee for review of the plan or any subsequent amendment thereto be recoverable from ratepayers. Such fee must be remitted to the commission before the commission may take any further action upon the application. For purposes of any time periods established in subsection (b) of this Code section and subsection (c) of Code Section 46-3A-2, an application shall be deemed to have been filed only when the fee established therefor has been remitted to the commission. In the event a joint application is filed by more than one utility, a single such fee only shall be required. The funds assessed and collected pursuant to this subsection shall be deposited in the state's general fund.