1.    Every applicant under this chapter shall pay to the commission an application fee:

a.    An applicant for a certificate of site compatibility shall pay an amount equal to five hundred dollars for each one million dollars of investment in the facility.

b.    An applicant for a certificate of corridor compatibility shall pay an amount equal to five thousand dollars for each one million dollars of investment in the facility.

c.    An applicant for a waiver shall pay the amount that would be required for an application for a certificate of site or corridor compatibility for the proposed facility.

If a waiver is not granted for a proposed facility, the application fee paid must be allowed as a credit against fees payable under this section in connection with an application under this chapter for a certificate or permit for the proposed facility.

d.    An applicant for a transfer of a certificate or permit shall pay an amount to be determined by the commission to cover anticipated expenses of processing the application.

e.    An applicant requesting an amendment to a certificate or permit, or certifying to the commission under subsection 3 of section 49-22.1-01 or obtaining siting authority under subdivision b of subsection 2 or subdivision c of subsection 4 of section 49-22.1-15, shall pay an amount to be determined by the commission to cover anticipated expenses of processing the application.

f.    The application fee under subdivision a, b, or c may not be less than ten thousand dollars nor more than one hundred thousand dollars.

g.    An applicant may agree to pay additional fees that are reasonably necessary for completion of the site, corridor, or route evaluation and designation process.

2.    If an applicant does not agree to pay additional fees reasonably necessary for completion of the site, corridor, or route evaluation and designation process, at the request of the commission and with the approval of the emergency commission, the applicant shall pay any additional fees as are reasonably necessary for completion of the gas or liquid energy conversion facility site, gas or liquid transmission facility corridor, or gas or liquid transmission facility route evaluation and designation process by the commission. The application fee under subsection 1 and any additional fees required of the applicant under this subsection may not exceed an amount equal to one thousand dollars for each one million dollars of investment in a proposed energy    conversion facility or ten thousand dollars for each one million dollars of investment in a proposed gas or liquid transmission facility.

3.    A siting process expense recovery fund is established in the state treasury. The commission shall deposit payments received under subsections 1 and 2 in the siting process expense recovery fund. All moneys deposited in the fund are appropriated on a continuing basis to the commission to pay expenses incurred in the siting process. The commission shall specify the time and method of payment of any fees and shall refund the portion of fees collected under subsections 1 and 2 which exceeds the expenses incurred for the evaluation and designation process.

4.    Every applicant for a certificate of site compatibility, certificate of corridor compatibility and route permit, and transfer of a certificate or permit under this chapter shall pay to the commission an administrative fee equal to two hundred dollars for each one million dollars of original investment, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars. The administrative fee must be deposited into the public service commission program fund.